Lawrence
(Hank) Henry, 76, rural Clitherall died Sunday, May 2, 2010 at his home on
Spitzer
Lake
.
Lawrence
(Hank) Henry was born on September 29, 1933 in
Ponsford
,
MN
near the White Earth Indian Reservation, and was the eldest son of Louis and
Ada
(
Chandler
) Henry.
He attended one year of high school in Park Rapids, MN, then his family moved to
Winona
,
MN
, where he graduated in 1951.
He married Patricia Eichhorst and had eight children.
They raised their family on a farm in
Woodbury
,
MN
.
It was in the early 60’s when he got involved in the feed and farm operations and was hired in a feed company role traveling and mixing feed company products.
In 1969 he was able to buy a small feed and farm store with a poultry operation amounting to 3,000 laying hens.
In the early part of those years, he developed a power equipment retail business including John Deere tractors, snowmobiles, chain saws, and lawn care equipment.
Combining all of these with the rest of his feed and farm business, he expanded very rapidly.
In 1975 he became a master John Deere dealer and in 1997 John Deere purchased his land, and he moved on to the Swedish organization, Tilton Equipment Company, marketing Jonsered products.
Then in 1985, he became a divisional manager and opened up a whole new area of marketing in the Southwest United States, where he retired in 1988 and began Indian Hank’s Landscape and Lawn Maintenance business in
Little Rock
,
AR.
During those many years, he was acquainted with the West Little Rock Optimist Club selling Christmas trees for 19 years.
He contributed very heavily to the youth raising money for them and in the process made hundreds of friends.
He also had many passions.
He loved to fish, cook and entertain his children and friends at his log cabin on
Spitzer
Lake
in
Northern Minnesota
.
But his greatest passion was the involvement with the Christmas tree sales and creating revenue for the
West Little Rock
Arkansas
youth. He was also a member of the
Leaf
Mountain
Lutheran
Church
near
Battle Lake
,
MN
, where he enjoyed being involved with the church activities and helping with the Mountain Men Memorial Day celebration.
Hank is survived by his wife of 21 years, Carolyn; sons Joel (Katie) of Forest Lake, MN, Brian of Alexandria, MN; daughters Colleen Henry (Bruce) of Stillwater, MN, Rebecca Cardinal (Tom) of Phoenix, AZ, Deanna "Dede" Henry-Boeck (Charlie) of
St Paul, MN, Laurie Estes of Stillwater, MN, Julie Sharon (Barry) of Amery, WI, and Patty Richert of Luck, WI; 16 grandchildren and eight great grandchildren; one step-daughter, Gena Woodall of Tulsa, OK; brothers Jim Henry (Elsa) of Gamercho, NM, Hadwin Lee Henry (Mary Lou) of Stockton, MN, Michael Henry (Ruth) of Colombia Heights, MN; sisters Edythe Larimer of Winona, MN, Bonita Vansandt of Corinth, MS, Lill Ehlers of Bluff Siding, WI, and Marie Stumpka (Robert) of Corinth, MS; many nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of other relatives and friends.
