Harold Dwain Henderson's Obituary
Harold Dwain Henderson, age 77, passed away on Friday, May 20, 2022, in San Antonio, Texas, after a 7-year battle with dementia. He was born to John Harold Henderson and Ermyne Delores Hodges on Saturday, March 24, 1945, in McKinney, Texas. Harold had a lust for life and a penchant for living in the moment.
Among a class of 11 graduating high school students in rural Allen, Texas, “Tex” (as he was known by classmates) could not have imagined the adventures life had in store for him. From his early beginnings as a farmer, a church pianist and organist, a cowboy, and a high school athlete, he found his way to Baylor University, where he participated in football and track and discovered his zest for writing. In addition to writing and publishing freelance articles over the years, he dabbled at various times in ranching and training for cutting horse competitions, exploring a possible career in acting, and managing a specialty automotive restoration business.
But Harold’s true lifelong passion was flying planes, which took him on many twists and turns throughout his life. His common turn of phrase as a pilot was, “you are only as good as your last landing,” and man did he have a panache for a landing. Early on, Harold relished the adventure of longhaul single engine flights, mastering treacherous terrain and unconventional airfields, then later turned those skills and passion into flying the latest and most modern private jets to far-flung destinations. He began his flight career by running his own flight school at Air Park-Dallas Airport in the 1970s, where he infused others with his enthusiasm for flying and eventually created a charter company. The pinnacle of his career came in the late 1980s through the 2010s when he worked as pilot and chief pilot for various corporate aviation departments and charter companies, for which he relocated his family to La Canada, California (Los Angeles area). During these three decades, Harold was humbly honored to transport company executives, the occasional world leader, movie stars, professional athletes, and other influential people all over the globe. One of his most memorable flights was of being one of only a handful of pilots in the U.S. allowed to fly an airplane the day after 9/11. At age 54, he obtained a master’s degree in business from University of Southern California and moved into aviation consultation and management before retiring in 2015.
Harold was relatable and a friend to everyone, always willing to lend an ear to family, a friend, or even a stranger for that matter. He would find a solution to any problem and often used his innumerable skills and life experiences to rescue many of us from various dilemmas and predicaments we found ourselves in. While he displayed these attributes in many subtle ways throughout his life helping individuals along their path, Harold will be remembered for some of the grander community contributions, such as in 1993 building the soccer complex at the Richland College in Dallas for the Classic League or in 2014 building a school library and garden for the Harambee Preparatory elementary school in Pasadena, CA.
He may be the real life “Waterboy” because of his masterful knowledge of irrigation. He fixed so many people’s yards and gardens in the name of growth yielding to his roots as a farmer, it is impossible to recount. He was always willing to get involved, whether for his children or other family (caring for family in need of help, coaching teams, or supporting events), his own passion projects (primarily spreading Bermuda grass everywhere he went), or the community needs (volunteering his time, knowhow, and oney to make a difference in the communities he lived). He will live on through the seeds he planted in each of us.
Harold is preceded in death by his parents, John and Ermyne Henderson, and his 2nd wife of 26 years, Patricia Ann Elizabeth Suchecki. He is survived by daughter, Kristi Clarke (husband Tim), son, Eric Seborn Henderson (wife, Megan),grandchildren Sydney Clarke, Sarah Clarke, Emily Henderson, and Wyatt Henderson; sister, Dona Bewley(husband Jim), their children and grandchildren; ex-wife and friend, Margaret Winifred Jones, andstepchildren Scott Blakeley, Betsy Blakeley Johnson (husband Ned), and Mark Blakeley.
Funeral arrangements for Harold have been faithfully entrusted to Restland Funeral Home and
Cemetery, located at 13005 Greenville Avenue, Dallas, Texas, 75243, (972) 238-7111.
Services will be Saturday, June 11, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. in the Wildwood Chapel, followed by a short Graveside Service in J Section of the Restland Cemetery. Optional viewing in the Chapel immediately before the service, starting at 9:15 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Alzheimer’s Association at alz.org, click on Get Involved, then Other Ways to Give, then Tribute Pages, then Find a Tribute, search for Harold Henderson.
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