In Memory Of
Albert Edwin Henry, Jr.
1922
2022
Albert Edwin Henry, Jr.
October 11, 1922 — September 2, 2022
Al Henry Jr was born into a Methodist preacher's family in Liberal, Kansas on October 11, 1922, to Dr. Albert Edwin Henry and his wife Jessie Seacat Henry. Albert Edwin Henry Jr passed away Friday night, September 2nd, 2022 in Topeka, Kansas, just a few weeks shy of his centennial birthday.
Albert spent most of his youth in Hutchinson, KS where his dad's post was at Trinity United Methodist Church. A girl named Geneva Brown, just a couple of years younger than him, also attended Trinity. In 1961 Geneva became his 2nd wife and they lived together near Lake Shawnee in Topeka until her death in 2004.
Albert Edwin Henry Jr had two sons with his first wife, Eleanor Kitselman: Charles Frederick and Albert Edwin Henry III. Studying mechanical engineering at K-State, Al Henry Jr had a long career as a train engine design engineer for Santa Fe in Topeka. At K-State he was also a member of fraternities Kappa Sigma and Sigma Alpha Epsilon.
After Al's second wife died, he continued to enjoy their weekly bowling league practice, and especially the company of longtime bowling friend Peggy Ackerman, who had recently lost her adored husband, Bill. Al and Peggy fell in love and got married in December 2005. They enjoyed traveling and living in Peggy's farm home in Berryton until health issues made Brewster Place a more comfortable option. Peggy passed away in 2016.
Al was very active in Topeka's First United Methodist Church. He led The Breakfast Club, an early Sunday morning religious study class there for over fifty years, as well as singing a good strong bass in the chancel choir every Sunday, and helping sort through and tally up the church donations every Monday morning.
He loved God, trains, K-State football, Ichabod and KU basketball, square-dancing, cats, his family and friends, and travelling and photography.
He was a WW2 veteran, actively serving in the Navy from August 1944 through 1946.
He leaves behind his son "Bert" and Bert's wife Joanna in Colorado; daughter-in-law, Mrs. Charles Henry and their children and grandchildren; his step-children of Topeka: Janet Gentry (Richard) and their children Amy and David, and grandchildren Noah, Abraham, Sophia, and Maria; and stepson Greg Ackerman. Also surviving are his nephew and three nieces from his marriage to Geneva Brown: Jeff Brown, Regan Brown, Rebecca Pyle, and Cordelia Brown; great-nephews Maxwell Howig, Graham Born, and MacGeorge Pyle; and great-niece Carolyn Brown.
He was also preceded in death by his son, Charles "Chuck" Henry.
Graveside services will be held at 1pm on Monday, September 12th, 2022 at West Lawn Memorial Gardens, 820 SW Auburn Rd, Topeka.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Topeka First United Methodist Church, 600 SW Topeka Blvd, Topeka, KS 66603.
To leave a message for Al's family, please visit the guestbook below.
Albert spent most of his youth in Hutchinson, KS where his dad's post was at Trinity United Methodist Church. A girl named Geneva Brown, just a couple of years younger than him, also attended Trinity. In 1961 Geneva became his 2nd wife and they lived together near Lake Shawnee in Topeka until her death in 2004.
Albert Edwin Henry Jr had two sons with his first wife, Eleanor Kitselman: Charles Frederick and Albert Edwin Henry III. Studying mechanical engineering at K-State, Al Henry Jr had a long career as a train engine design engineer for Santa Fe in Topeka. At K-State he was also a member of fraternities Kappa Sigma and Sigma Alpha Epsilon.
After Al's second wife died, he continued to enjoy their weekly bowling league practice, and especially the company of longtime bowling friend Peggy Ackerman, who had recently lost her adored husband, Bill. Al and Peggy fell in love and got married in December 2005. They enjoyed traveling and living in Peggy's farm home in Berryton until health issues made Brewster Place a more comfortable option. Peggy passed away in 2016.
Al was very active in Topeka's First United Methodist Church. He led The Breakfast Club, an early Sunday morning religious study class there for over fifty years, as well as singing a good strong bass in the chancel choir every Sunday, and helping sort through and tally up the church donations every Monday morning.
He loved God, trains, K-State football, Ichabod and KU basketball, square-dancing, cats, his family and friends, and travelling and photography.
He was a WW2 veteran, actively serving in the Navy from August 1944 through 1946.
He leaves behind his son "Bert" and Bert's wife Joanna in Colorado; daughter-in-law, Mrs. Charles Henry and their children and grandchildren; his step-children of Topeka: Janet Gentry (Richard) and their children Amy and David, and grandchildren Noah, Abraham, Sophia, and Maria; and stepson Greg Ackerman. Also surviving are his nephew and three nieces from his marriage to Geneva Brown: Jeff Brown, Regan Brown, Rebecca Pyle, and Cordelia Brown; great-nephews Maxwell Howig, Graham Born, and MacGeorge Pyle; and great-niece Carolyn Brown.
He was also preceded in death by his son, Charles "Chuck" Henry.
Graveside services will be held at 1pm on Monday, September 12th, 2022 at West Lawn Memorial Gardens, 820 SW Auburn Rd, Topeka.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Topeka First United Methodist Church, 600 SW Topeka Blvd, Topeka, KS 66603.
To leave a message for Al's family, please visit the guestbook below.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Albert Edwin Henry, Jr., please visit our flower store.
Service Schedule
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Graveside Service
Monday, September 12, 2022
Starts at 1:00 pm (Central time)
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