Henry Root

Henry James Root was born on February 11, 1941 to James Henry Root and Marian Dorothy Dern Root in Chicago Heights, Illinois. The family moved to Sandusky, Ohio, where Henry grew up.
Henry was a lifelong Episcopalian, but in 1971 he joined the Word of God, an ecumenical community with both Catholic and Protestant members. As years went by, Henry always leaned toward Catholic thinking and in 2000 was received into the Catholic Church.
He was involved in broadcasting and recording since high school where he worked at WLEC- AM&FM in Sandusky, Ohio. Henry originated nationally distributed live Saturday night big band broadcasts from Cedar Point amusement park in 1959 and 1960.
Henry studied radio and television production at the University of Cincinnati, where he was active in theater productions, yearbook, Rho Tau Delta professional fraternity, was the chief engineer of the campus radio WFIB, and served on student senate as Vice President and President. He worked summer replacement at WKRC-TV (Taft) and WCPO-TV (Scripps Howard) and climbed through the ranks from camera operator to crew chief at WCET-TV.
After college he joined The University of Michigan's WUOM as staff engineer. In 1967, he started a 10 year stint as Director of Electronic Services at the School of Music. Duties included recital and concert recording, sound reinforcement, and faculty teaching assistance. Henry recorded numerous albums of symphonic and choral works, religious/folk, and stage shows for Nonesuch, Composers Recording, Inc., Golden Crest, the U of M School of Music and Gilbert and Sullivan Society, and even Charismatic Renewal Services.
Henry participated in sound and recording conferences in the U.S. and Europe. He had a special interest in surround sound and was a certified LucasFilm THX designer/installer. He was the President of Hy James Inc., a professional audio equipment dealership located in Farmington Hills, Michigan, started in 1971. Henry was also a part of the Detroit section of the Audio Engineering Society and immediate past chairman of the Detroit Section of Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers. He served as Technical Facilities chairman of the 25h S.M.P.T.E Television Conference and for the 9th A.E.S Technical Conference in 1991.
Henry was Ave Maria Radio's first Operations Manager (1998 to 2018), helping to launch WDEO AM 990 in southeast MI. He assisted in the design of the studios, literally wiring studios & installing the broadcast system. Henry produced & hosted the anthology program "Putting On the Mind of Christ," the rebroadcasts of which continue to air on 990 AM. Henry recorded & produced every episode of "Christ is the Answer" with Fr. John Riccardo, (numbering in the hundreds) which Ave Maria Radio continues to rebroadcast in southeast MI. EWTN Global Catholic Radio continues to provide rebroadcasts of "Christ is the Answer" to its 400+ affiliate stations across the US.
While still working for WDEO (Ave Maria Radio) he started another side business, Relevant Redundancy Recordings. He did this for 15 years retiring from WDEO in 2018 and closing Relevant Redundancy Recordings in 2019.
In his spare time, Henry enjoyed photography, plays, jazz and musicals.
Henry is preceded in death by his parents; son, Titus; and brother, James.
He is survived by his wife, Abbie; daughters, Amanda (Keith) Kish and Suzane (Justin) Patrick; grandchildren, Logan, Claira, and John; sister in law, Mary; and many extended family and friends.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to:
Christ the King Catholic Church
Ave Maria Radio
Arbor Hospice
Renewal Ministries