Louise Henry

Anne Louise Henry was born March 28, 1919 in Akron, Ohio to Axel and Christine Larson, who were both emigrants from Sweden. Louise always went by her middle name as did her husband, Rev. Wilbur Dean Henry. They married on December 26, 1944 and a snow storm the following day cancelled their plans for a Niagara Falls honeymoon. Louise lived her whole life in Akron until her move to Columbus Alzheimer Care Center in 2006. She died there on May 28, 2011.

She attended Coventry Township schools and graduated as valedictorian of her 1937 class. As a schoolgirl, she proudly delivered newspapers for the Akron Beacon Journal and briefly wrote for this paper too. After graduation, she worked for both Sun Oil and Seiberling Rubber Company as a secretary until her marriage.

As a pastor's wife, she used her multiple talents to the fullest in support of her husband's ministry at Brown Street Baptist Church. She played piano, organ and ukulele and loved to sing in the choir. In the early days of the church, in the era of the mimeograph machine and the rotary phone, she served as secretary; she was an amazingly accurate typist and great at shorthand dictation. Church dinners, picnics and social gatherings were always a delight to her. She loved talking with people and freely gave her time and energy to the congregation and as a volunteer in prison ministry. Visiting missionaries and speakers were welcome in her home, as were others who needed shelter. She was famous for her handmade cinnamon rolls and seriously competitive Scrabble games.

Louise was preceded in death by her husband, Dean (1998) and her parents, Axel (1944) and Christine (1966). She is survived by her loving family: son, David (Elizabeth) and family; daughter, Fern (Bill) Spurlock; son, Dale (Susan) and family; brother, Dana (Ruth) Larson and family; brother-in-law, Brooks (Nadene) Henry and family; sister-in-law, Jane (Eugene) Apple and family; the surviving family of sister-in-law, Phyllis (George) Fissel; and Louise's many relatives in Sweden. Louise also leaves behind many dear friends from her youth, the church and her long life here in Akron.

Louise's children are grateful to the wonderful people at Haven Homes of Stow and the Columbus Alzheimer Care Center for their loving kindness and professional help in the last decade of our mother's life.

The funeral service will be held on Saturday, June 4, 2011 at 11 a.m., at the Eckard Baldwin Sanctuary Chapel, 760 E. Market Street, with Rev. David Henry officiating. Interment at Lakewood Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home during visitation on Friday evening, June 3, from 6 to 8 p.m. Donations in memory of Louise may be made to Camp Patmos or Skyview Ranch.