John M. Henry

HENRY JOHN M. HENRY John M. Henry founder of Steel Products, Inc. a local sub-contracting firm specializing in area school construction, died March 11, 2011 at the age of 85. Survivors include his wife of 59 years, Joan Arnaiz Henry, his three daughters and their husbands, Denise and Ed Johns, Patricia and Lionel Daury and Joanmarie and Scott Houghton, eight grandchildren Kristin Tucker, Maureen Johns, Dana Johns, Morgane Daury, Jason Daury, Edwards Johns, Ashley Houghton and Glenn Houghton. Two great-grandsons Ethan Tucker and Jack Tucker. He is survived by one brother, Robert Henry, Sr. Jack was born and raised in Bayonne, New Jersey. At 17, he joined the Navy and was assigned as an electrician to the Destroyer Escort ship, USS Paul G. Baker and deployed to patrol in the Pacific theater. Operating off Okinawa, they rescued seventy eight survivors of a mine sweeper which had capsized and sank after being hit by a suicide Japanese kamikaze plane. After returning from War, Jack worked for the Bell Telephone Company in New York City, where he met his future bride, Joan Marie Arnaiz. In 1953, they moved to Maryland to join his uncle in business. In 1954, they incorporated their new company, Steel Products, Inc. Jack had visions to grow the company and through the next 40 years, he achieved his vision. In addition to Steel Products, Inc., Jack started two other local successful companies, Capital Partitions and Rockville Partitions, and ran the latter until his retirement in 1999. Once retired, he focused his attention on his hobbies; in the winter he and Joan would be at their ski home in Pa. or on many ski trips out west with friends and members of the "Over the Hill Gang" ski club. Jack skied until the age of 80. In the summer, he was dedicated to his vegetable garden determined to outsmart the deer who were also dedicated visitors to his garden. Jack could always be found riding his Kabota tractor. Friends will be received at PUMPHREY'S COLONIAL FUNERAL HOME, 300 W. Montgomery Ave., (Rt. 28, exit 6A just off I-270) on Tuesday from 3 to 5 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. and where service will be held on Wednesday, March 16, 2011 at 10 a.m. Interment Parklawn Memorial Park. Memorial contributions may be made to Montgomery Hospice Society, 1355 Piccard Drive, Suite 100, Rockville, Maryland 20850 or The American Lung Association of Maryland, Executive Plaza I, Suite 600, 11350 McCormick Road, Hunt Valley, Maryland 21031. Please view and sign family guestbook at www.pumphreyfuneralhome.com