David Melvin Henderson

David Melvin Henderson, of Lago Vista, Texas, passed away from this life on January 19, 2026 in Palestine, Texas, at the age of 90. He was born in San Antonio, Texas on October 30, 1935 to Frank Henderson and Billie Maninger.

Raised by a single mother from the age of 5, David grew up with his older brother in Wichita, Kansas, where a fascination with all things aviation and rocket science led him to obtain his pilot's license in 1955. He later received his B.A. in Physics, Aeronautical Engineering, and German from the University of Wichita and furthered his studies at the University of Texas. He then took those skills to serve in the Air Force's Vandenberg Satellite Tracking Station before returning to Wichita to launch his career with Boeing.

His love of the German language and appreciation for great German rocket scientists such as Werner Von Braun led him to meet and later marry an extraordinary young woman, Marlene Schubert of Frankfurt, Germany, who was teaching English in Wichita on an exchange program. From their 1965 union came two sons, Frank and Mark, with whom they made regular visits to Europe, exposing them to the language and heritage of their mother. Many wonderful memories were also made exploring David's roots in Kansas.

During these years, the young family followed David's exciting career path-as an aerospace engineer during the height of the Cold War-from Wichita, Kansas to Kennedy Space Center in Merritt Island, Florida; Boeing in Renton, Washington; and finally, to Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, where he worked for numerous NASA contractors, including Lockheed Martin, McDonnell Douglas, TRW, and had a reprise with Boeing, from whom he retired in 2000.

David instilled a great sense of responsibility and confidence into his sons when he taught them both to fly and gain their pilots' licenses before they even learned to drive. His son Mark later carried this skill and passion into his career as a captain for Delta Airlines.

After he and Marlene parted ways, David continued flight instructing as a valued member of GHAFI (Greater Houston Association of Flight Instructors) and AOPA (Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association). Through this, he met the love of his life-the enterprising and successful Elaine Apel Snowden-founder of Clear Lake Aviation, who would later go on to be Operations Manager at Houston Hobby Airport.

After marrying on October 7th of 1995, David gained two wonderful stepchildren, Stephen and Leslie. The new couple remained in the Houston area for a time before retiring to their beautiful lakeview house in Lago Vista. Their home was always filled with an impressive and interesting array of guests, whom they loved to entertain and take kayaking on the lake. They were beloved members of Episcopal Church of the Resurrection in Austin and also passionately involved in the Texas Democrats, with David ardently supporting and stumping for his wife in her 2012 bid for US Congressional District 26 of Texas. Through the hard work, long hours, travel miles, and relentless speaking engagements of that journey, they made many lifelong friends.

Remembering how much they'd previously enjoyed a maritime climate, they stepped away to the Galveston area for several years. While there, David kept busy flying, speaking in local schools and groups, and enjoying breakfasts out with the Geezers men's group. He and Elaine kept their many guests busy with personal tours, ferry "cruises", history lessons, afternoons at the beach, evenings at the Grand 1894 Opera House, and some of the best dining experiences Galveston has to offer. They attended the historic Trinity Episcopal Church, and their home was a frequent base for grandchildren's trips, singing groups, and Ukrainian exchange students.

They eventually moved back to their Lago Vista lake home, with David spending his final months near family in Palestine, Texas after Elaine's passing in October of 2025. It could easily be said that he died of a broken heart.

A glimpse of David's diverse experiences and intellect can be seen in his three published books. His brilliant mind and love of astrophysics was fleshed out in Applied Cartesian Tensors for Aerospace Simulations, a textbook published for AIAA (American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics) in 2006. A life-long scientist, David found himself dabbling in atheist and agnostic camps, while still paying homage to his Episcopal roots. But after staring death in the face while battling and later overcoming cancer, he chose to believe in God, leading him to pen his 2016 book, One Scientist's Awareness of God and Our Universe. His final book, Aviation Wisdom & Flying Stories, published in 2022, was an endearing collection of essays from his years of flight instructing.

Marked by his gregarious and generous personality, David had a way of making absolutely everyone feel important and at ease. He was a storyteller extraordinaire, and his high level of patience made him a great teacher. Always the scientist and thinker, you would often find him working on equations, studying the stars through his scientific telescope (which he later donated to the Galveston Independent School District), or contemplating philosophy while honing his German skills through his favorite author, Hermann Karl Hesse. He also had an insanely keen knack for finding the best enchiladas and tacos anywhere around, usually paired with his favorite drink, "Water… on the rocks."

It was in his final weeks on this earth, as he found himself once again forced to stare eternity head on, that David made the most important decision of his life – to not simply believe in an aloof God, but to embrace His Son Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior. The anxiety that had plagued him his whole life was quelled, and David slipped away peacefully in his sleep, knowing the love of God.

"O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?"

He is survived by his sons, Frank Henderson and wife Lana of Palestine, Texas; and Mark Henderson of Belleville, Michigan; stepson, Stephen Snowden and wife Sherri of Canyon Lake, Texas; stepdaughter, Leslie Snowden and husband Gary Lane of Goshen, Massachusetts; his cherished grandchildren, Sydney Snowden of Taylor, Texas; Scott Snowden of Des Moines, Iowa; and Sophia Lohman and her husband Jacob of Saint Cloud, Minnesota. He also leaves behind his sister-in-law, Karen Henderson, niece Tammy Davis and her life partner Mike Mallek, and nephew Todd Henderson; great nephews, Justin Davis of San Diego, California; and Patrick and his wife Hannah of Wichita, Kansas, as well as many extended family members for whom he cared deeply.

He is preceded in death by his beloved wife, Elaine Apel Snowden Henderson; his mother, Billie Maninger Henderson Matzen; father and stepmother, Frank and Katy Henderson; brother, Frank Robert "Bob" Henderson; first wife, Marlene Schubert Henderson; nephew, Wesley Davis, and many uncles, aunts, and cousins.

Honoring David's wishes, he will be cremated, with ashes spread on family land in Kansas. A joint memorial service to celebrate both David and Elaine's lives will be held in the Austin area at a later date.

Cremation services for David Melvin Henderson are in care of Rhone Funeral Home, 3900 S. State Highway 19, Palestine, Texas. Please visit his online memorial tribute at www.rhonefuneralhome.com, where words of comfort and condolence may be shared electronically with his family.