BURLEY, Idaho (KMVT/KSVT) —Just hours before his 84th birthday, Wayne George Henderson passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his loving family on Monday morning, August 26, 2024. He was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle and friend.
Wayne was born on August 27, 1940, to George Floyd and Fay Malinda Moon Henderson in St. Anthony, Idaho. He joined his older brother Don and soon after had four more boys: Ray, Bob, Ted, and Joe. He never had a sister. Their mother didn’t want to take a chance and have another boy. He grew up on a farm outside of Ashton, Idaho, without many amenities. He had fun and many “adventures” with his brothers. His mother kept her boys out of trouble and their father kept the boys busy with farm work. He learned to work hard and play at the same time.
Wayne attended school in a one-room school and actually walked through the snow in the winter. When he started ninth grade at North Fremont High School in Ashton, he was finally allowed to ride the school bus. He graduated in 1958.
At 16, he followed his older brother Don into basic training in the Army National Guard and felt called to join him in the cadet ranks. He became friends with most of Don’s fellow cadets. In his senior year of high school, just turning 17, he also enlisted in the Army National Guard, fulfilling his calling. He was assigned to clear a road with a jackhammer the same size as him, leaving bruises for weeks. He ended up serving for 16 years and receiving many awards, including the rank of sergeant.
After graduating, he began working in the lumber industry in West Yellowstone. Wayne was a jack of all trades and worked in a variety of jobs as a mechanic, lawn mower, etc. For the last 17 years of his working life, he worked as a janitor at Dworshak Elementary School in Burley. He really enjoyed working with the young children and teachers. Every year, the teachers had him do a demonstration for the second and third graders about rocks and fossils and how they are identified and formed, etc. He really enjoyed that. Wayne is known for making special trips to neighboring areas to look for new rock or fossil specimens that he could then give to each child after class.
Wayne was blessed with five children: Tina Henderson (deceased), Wayne Henderson Jr., Sonja (Rick) Willison, Kelly (Wendy) Henderson and Robin (George) Hale (deceased). He had 11 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
After many years of divorce and loneliness, he finally met the love of his life, Sylvia Ann Mickelsen. It was a fun relationship that ended with their wedding on July 29, 1995. Their marriage was later sealed for eternity in the Logan Utah Temple. From this marriage, Wayne had five more children: Richard (Anita) Port, Deanna (deceased Tim) Martin, Steven Port (deceased), Wes Port, and Heidi (Scott) Rogers; 17 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren.
Wayne was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and had a strong love and testimony for the Savior Jesus Christ. He served in many callings over the years; his favorite was Sunday School president, which he held for many years. While serving his country in his youth, he missed his chance to serve as a missionary. He always regretted not being able to serve a mission. When he got his chance, he was finally able to accept his calling to serve with his wife in the Idaho Boise Mission and assist youth missionaries, fulfilling a lifelong desire to serve the Lord in this way.
Wayne had many hobbies. He was very good at woodworking and made many beautiful pieces from cedar that he grew in his own garden. He was an avid gardener. “He gave away garden produce not because he grew too much, but because he grew too much to give away.” He would call neighbors and ask who needed tomatoes or raspberries because he had too many to use. He also had over a dozen laying hens and no eggs to sell. He sold only a few and gave the rest away to family and friends. He loved working outside in the garden with the plants and animals. He loved giving away the fruits of his labor.
He was a rock collector! He would scour many desert floors or rocky outcrops with a geologist’s hammer in hand, looking for specific rocks or fossils. He found many beautiful specimens from all over the West to add to his ever-growing collection.
Wayne and Ann loved to travel and visited many destinations. They visited Hawaii, Alaska, Mexico, took several cruises to the Caribbean, and traveled throughout the West, with Southern Utah being a favorite.
He was predeceased by his parents George and Fay Henderson, his brothers Don, Ray and Ted Henderson, his daughters Tina Henderson and Robin Hale, his parents-in-law Budge and Ruby Mickelsen, his brothers-in-law Larry and David Mickelsen, and his stepsons Steven Port and Tim Martin.
Wayne’s memory lives on in his loving wife of 30 years, Ann, their ten children, 28 grandchildren, 31 great-grandchildren and brothers.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday, September 3, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints-Unity 1st Ward, 275 S. 250 E., Burley, where family and friends will be received from 10 to 10:45 a.m. with Bishop N. Rob Hansen officiating. Burial will follow at Pleasant View Cemetery in Burley with the Mini-Cassia Veterans Group providing military ceremonies.
Arrangements for the funeral have been entrusted to Rasmussen-Wilson Funeral Home in Burley.
A live webcast of the funeral service will be available at the following link and will be continuously updated: https://youtu.be/AnHgzjLl0BQ
All rights reserved.
