Dick and his wife, Judy, were part of an adult soccer league that Bill and I belonged to for years. He was pretty much the same as I remembered him at O'Dowd - kind of quiet way of talking, easy to talk to - a nice guy. And what an excellent player he was (we were a mixed league of over age 30 players). When Bill & I left the team, we lost contact with a lot of our teammates for quite awhile. I heard of Dick's passing as some of us were planning a team re-union about a year or so after we lost Dick. I at first couldn't believe it - I thought everyone had him mixed up with his dad, who died about 2 weeks before Dick. But it was true, he died two weeks after his dad. I thought how incredibly hard this must have been for the family. I learned some time later from a mutual acquaintance that he was aware that both he and his dad were dying, but he wanted to hang on til his dad had died, to spare his dad the anguish of seeing him die. He was able to do this for his father. What a strong will he had - and how incredibly sensitive he was to those he loved.
When our family moved to California in my Sophomore year, we became part of a "neighborhood clan" that included about 20 kids within a 10 block radius who went to O'Dowd. Dick Henry was part of that clan as was Jackie Menghini, Sue Simonich, Lois Jelusich, Dick's brother and sisters, my cousins, Ken and Fred Shepard and several others. During our O'Dowd years, we became friends, supporters, defenders, and cheer-leaders for each other. Dick was a soft-spoken and gentle person who participated in school sports and other activities in a quiet way, but you could always depend on him if you needed his help. For me, Dick was a steady, stable presence in our "neighborhood clan" and he did whatever was needed without fanfare. His smile and the twinkle in his eyes (that he inherited from his Dad) always made me smile.
After high school, I heard news of Dick through my cousin and I was delighted to hear how those same strong qualities he had as a teenager had blossomed as an adult. In the end, Dick fought hard to live and his death was a heartbreaker. Dick and the Henry family are a cherished part of my past and I not only thank God for them, but I smile and laugh at some of the experiences we shared in the old neighborhood.
I always remember Dick's shy smile. Dick and I became friends at O'Dowd, played lots of basketbll together and roomed together for a couple of years in college. We continued to see each other after we both were married. He was always a great friend. Dick was a man of good character who loved his family. I think of him often. He left us much too early and is missed by many.
Joy Parlett (Furtado)
Dick and his wife, Judy, were part of an adult soccer league that Bill and I belonged to for years. He was pretty much the same as I remembered him at O'Dowd - kind of quiet way of talking, easy to talk to - a nice guy. And what an excellent player he was (we were a mixed league of over age 30 players). When Bill & I left the team, we lost contact with a lot of our teammates for quite awhile.I heard of Dick's passing as some of us were planning a team re-union about a year or so after we lost Dick. I at first couldn't believe it - I thought everyone had him mixed up with his dad, who died about 2 weeks before Dick. But it was true, he died two weeks after his dad. I thought how incredibly hard this must have been for the family. I learned some time later from a mutual acquaintance that he was aware that both he and his dad were dying, but he wanted to hang on til his dad had died, to spare his dad the anguish of seeing him die. He was able to do this for his father. What a strong will he had - and how incredibly sensitive he was to those he loved.
Judith Gardenhire
When our family moved to California in my Sophomore year, we became part of a "neighborhood clan" that included about 20 kids within a 10 block radius who went to O'Dowd. Dick Henry was part of that clan as was Jackie Menghini, Sue Simonich, Lois Jelusich, Dick's brother and sisters, my cousins, Ken and Fred Shepard and several others. During our O'Dowd years, we became friends, supporters, defenders, and cheer-leaders for each other. Dick was a soft-spoken and gentle person who participated in school sports and other activities in a quiet way, but you could always depend on him if you needed his help. For me, Dick was a steady, stable presence in our "neighborhood clan" and he did whatever was needed without fanfare. His smile and the twinkle in his eyes (that he inherited from his Dad) always made me smile.
After high school, I heard news of Dick through my cousin and I was delighted to hear how those same strong qualities he had as a teenager had blossomed as an adult. In the end, Dick fought hard to live and his death was a heartbreaker. Dick and the Henry family are a cherished part of my past and I not only thank God for them, but I smile and laugh at some of the experiences we shared in the old neighborhood.
Steven DeCoite
I always remember Dick's shy smile. Dick and I became friends at O'Dowd, played lots of basketbll together and roomed together for a couple of years in college. We continued to see each other after we both were married. He was always a great friend. Dick was a man of good character who loved his family. I think of him often. He left us much too early and is missed by many.