ERNEST FLAGG HENDERSON III

HENDERSON, Ernest Flagg III Formerly of Wellesley Hills and Centerville, died Tuesday, July 24, 2012 at Sudbury Pines Extended Care Facility in Sudbury, Massachusetts following a period of declining health. He was 87 and the beloved husband of the late Mary Louise Campbell Henderson for 55 years. Born in Boston October 25, 1924, he was the son of the late Ernest Flagg Henderson, Jr. and Mary Gill Stephens Henderson. Mr. Henderson had a varied education as a youngster and into his high school years having attended Hubbard Park, Buckingham, Brown & Nichols, Peabody School in Cambridge, Shady Hill and Belmont Hill Schools. He attended Harvard University in 1942 and 1943 prior to entering the United States Navy from 1943 until his discharge. In 1944 he became a Columbia Naval Commissioned Ensign and a permanent staff member to the US Navy Atlantic Fleet stationed in Maine, Shanghai, Singapore, Saudi Arabia transcribing code for the Navy and Gunnery officer in charge of all guns and munitions aboard the USS Sabine and was discharged as a 1st. Lt. Junior Grade. He later graduated from Harvard, Class of 1946, and continued his education earning an MBA from Harvard Business School in 1949. Mr. Henderson entered the family business, Sheraton Hotel Corp. in 1949 and rose from the Communication and Purchasing Division to Treasurer of Sheraton in 1954 and President of Sheraton from 1960 to 1967. From 1968 on he was the owner of numerous businesses in healthcare and manufacturing with his primary interest in Philanthropic endeavors such as N.E. Historic & Genealogical Society, Northeastern University, Bard College, Newton Wellesley Hospital, Cape Cod Symphony, National Center for Family Homelessness, Young Presidents Organization/49ers, Circumnavigators Club, Museum of Science, Wellesley Community Center, etc., and supported many other organizations both personally and through the Henderson Foundation. He was passionate about world travel and had visited over 250 countries many with his beloved wife. He was also an avid genealogist and his 40 years of research will culminate in his book being published soon chronicling his ancestry traced back to King David in the Bible. Mr. Henderson is survived by his devoted children, his son and daughter-in-law, Ernest "Spike" Henderson and his wife, Kathleen Henderson of Wellesley and daughter, Roberta Henderson of Bolton. He also leaves three sisters, Victoria Osborne of Emigrant, Montana, Augusta Petrone of Dublin, New Hampshire, Mary "Mitzi" Perdue of Salisbury Maryland, and one brother, Barclay Henderson of Cambridge, MA along with their spouses and numerous nieces and nephews and their respective children. Funeral services will be conducted Saturday, July 28, at 10:00 am at the Wellesley Hills Congregational Church, 207 Washington St., Wellesley. Visitation will be Friday, July 27, from 4:00 to 8:00 pm at the Duckett-J.S. Waterman & Sons Home of Memorial Tribute, 656 Boston Post Rd., Rt. 20, SUDBURY. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Mr. Henderson should be directed to New England Historical & Genealogical Society, 101 Newbury St., Boston, MA 02116, USA 888/296-3447. For additional information tributes and guest book visit www.duckett-waterman.com. Duckett-J.S. Waterman & Sons Sudbury, MA 978/443-5777 or 781/235-4110