Warner Wheeler Henry

March 26, 1938 - Aug. 1, 2020 Today we mourn the loss of our husband, father, grandfather, mentor, and friend, Warner Henry. Warner, to all those who knew him, was generous in spirit, kind in demeanor, and ever curious about the world around him. His piercing intellect and his razor-sharp wit lasted to the very end. It was always a joy to be in his presence, and he always had warm words of encouragement to offer amidst colorful stories and the ever-present puns. Born in Los Angeles in 1938, Warner was what many would consider a "challenging child" in his youth. His mischievous acts were notorious in his neighborhood of Hancock Park, and Warner loved to tell these stories later in life. His parents sent him to Midland School in the Santa Ynez Valley to complete his high school years, where he was almost expelled due to a fake "bank robbery" that involved almost every remaining member of the senior class. His father, Warner White "Pop" Henry, saw the news of his son's caper in the Los Angeles Times the very next day. Luckily, the school saw fit to let the remaining seniors graduate. "Too big to fail," Warner would later quip. Warner attended Stanford University and graduated in 1959. After a brief stint in the Navy, he returned to Stanford to earn his MBA. He went to work for his father's company, a roofing products manufacturer called the Henry Company, which "Pop" Henry had started during the Great Depression. When he sold that business in 2004, it had become one of the most prominent and successful nationwide brands. In 1985, he ventured into a new business in the world of fine wine, founding the Henry Wine Group. His mark on the business practices of wine distributors cannot be understated: the Henry Wine Group was the first medium-size distributor to use refrigerated trucks and warehouses to guarantee the integrity and quality of the wines it sold. The Henry Wine Group paved the way for many other companies to follow suit, giving a boost to the types of wineries Warner cared most about: the "mom-and-pop," family-owned, small producers that he considered to be making the world's best wines. Working in the wine business brought him great joy, as it allowed him to enjoy one of his greatest passions while sharing it with others. In 2016, Warner sold The Henry Wine Group, which continues to carry on his legacy as the California business unit of the Winebow Group. Warner was very proud of both companies, especially of the people he had the pleasure to meet and work with. He often pointed out that it was the people who worked day in and day out to make this companies successful were the ones who deserved the credit for their successes. This selflessness and humility were genuine and heartfelt. He always insisted people didn't work for him; they worked with him. An enthusiastic advocate for the arts, Warner, with his wife Carol, was instrumental in the formation of the Los Angeles Opera; the two of them were underwriters of several LA Opera productions over the years. Warner was the first Angel of the Los Angeles Opera, encouraging others to join him, and creating a powerful alliance for the support of LA Opera. The Henry Fund for Mozart Opera continues to underwrite all LA Opera productions of Mozart. Warner and Carol were both longtime members of the LA Opera Executive Committee, Carol most recently as its former chair. Warner was a crucial early benefactor of the Colburn School, sponsoring several of its students and guiding its growth, remaining on its board. He was a longtime supporter of Camerata Pacifica and Musica Angelica, and in recent years had brought the Los Angeles chamber music community together under the aegis of the Los Angeles Chamber Music Society. He was an inaugural board member of both the Los Angeles Master chorale and the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra. His influence on the Arts in Los Angeles will be felt for many generations to come. We mourn Warner's passing, and we will honor his memory by striving to attain to these same ideals. Warner will be remembered for his wit, kindness, open-mindedness, and riotous sense of humor. His final days were spent with family at his home in Pasadena. One of his favorite sayings in the last few months was, "getting old ain't for wimps." He passed peacefully in his sleep at home. He is survived by his wife, Carol; his children, Will, Katie and Mike; his children-in-law, Andrew, Talley and Kali; and his grandchildren, Cameron, Taylor, Chandler, Maggie, Jack, Henry, Noel, Lulu, and Winslow. "Cowards die many times before their deaths; The valiant never taste of death but once. Of all the wonders that I yet have heard, It seems to me most strange that men should fear; Seeing that death, a necessary end, Will come when it will come." - William Shakespeare In lieu of flowers, the family requests you donate to LA Opera, the Colburn School, or the Los Angeles Chamber Music Society.