Elwin D. "Pete" Henry

Elwin (Pete) Dale Henry was born July 23, 1924 in Severy, KS to Wilford C. and Fern M. (Shultz) Henry. With the exception of 2 years spent in Arizona, Elwin was a lifelong resident of Kansas. He graduated from Michigan Valley High School in 1941. Afterwards he & his family relocated to the Centropolis community. Elwin met his perfect match, Martha M. Riley, at the Ottawa skating rink and they were joined in marriage on July 22, 1956. They made their home on a farm near Centropolis where they shared 53 years together and were blessed with 4 children. From his earliest years Elwin lived the life of a farmer. He was a dairyman for 25 years and also raised beef cattle, hogs, and sheep. Elwin grew a variety of crops including popcorn. Over the years he cleared many neighbor’s snowy driveways with his John Deere tractor and blade and shared garden produce during the summer months. Elwin had a natural talent for repairing equipment and fixing just about anything. After retirement he crafted many wooden items and furniture in his shop for family and friends, including a pair of coffee tables for the Alpha of Clovia house at Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS. Elwin’s largest project was a catalpa wood deck attached to his house. Elwin enjoyed reading, playing pitch, and visiting family and friends. He passed on the virtues of hard work, honesty, and community to his children. Elwin was especially fond of his 11 grandchildren and 1 great-granddaughter. During his lifetime Elwin served as a board member for Pomona High School and was a 6 year board member for the Ottawa Coop Assn. He was member of the Centropolis Christian Church. Elwin will be sorely missed by his survivors including his wife, Martha; son, Terry (Mary Ann) of Baldwin, KS, and their children, Joy Denning, Angela (Sean) Denning-Barnes and great-granddaughter, Eleanor, Catherine (Nate) Welch, and Mary Denning and friend, Brian Hanabury; daughters, Sheri (Alan) Beisner of Alton, KS, and their children, Christy (Warren) Richardson; Ely Johnson, Tiara Johnson, Jed Johnson, and Seth Johnson; Sue (Joe) Myers of Meriden, KS, and their children, Ross Myers and friend, Katy Pence, and Sam Myers; Lisa (Robert) Kockler of Lone Rock, IA,; nephew, Lynn (Sherry) Schoonover; and numerous other family members. He was preceded in death by his parents and his older sister and only sibling, Lola Schoonover. Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 11, 2010, at Dengel and Son Mortuary, Ottawa. Visitation will be 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2010, at the mortuary. Burial will follow at Valley Brook Cemetery, Overbrook, KS. Memorial contributions may be made to the Centropolis Christian Church or the Alzheimer’s Association and sent in care of Dengel and Son Mortuary, 235 S. Hickory St., Ottawa, KS 66067.