Kermit Scott Henry

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Visitation Schedule
Faith Church of Dennard
Hwy 65 N
Clinton, AR  72629
Thursday, July 11, 2019
10:00 am
Service Schedule
Funeral Service
Faith Church of Dennard
Hwy 65 N
Clinton, AR  72629
Thursday, July 11, 2019
11:00 am
Cemetery
Dennard Cemetery
Hwy 65 North
Dennard, AR  72629
I served in the Air Force.
Kermit Scott HenryI am a Veteran.

of Dennard, AR

February 9, 1935 - July 5, 2019

Kermit Henry was born in Enid, Oklahoma in 1936 when The Great Depression had seized the future of the nation's poor. The Henrys were no exception. The family endured hardship that came with eking out a living from the of-and-on work his father could find across the United States in the era of soup kitchens. From his early days, Kermit lived in a trailer with his family of five.

Kermit was the third of four children born to Virgil and Lela Henry. Juanita, Christal and Joseph preceded him. Juanita died at two years of age. The family of five traveled cross country to the numerous jobs Virgil worked in the late 30s and 40s. Kermit found his younger brother an amiable playmate. The two were inseparable.

Tragedy was no stranger to the Henrys. Once, while sleeping alongside the road in Oklahoma, a car ran over the family seriously injuring Virgil. Kermit's father spent four months in the hospital. The family banded together to make ends meet while Virgil healed. Everyone pulled their weight in the family. Kermit learned the value of working with family. He would work with his brother Joe for 30 years.

As a small child, Kermit watched as his father stumbled through the first part of his early family life. Alcoholism took its toll. Relatives would say the elderly Henry would sometimes drink and give away his entire paycheck at the local bar to supply everyone with free drinks and good time. The family ultimately paid the price of their father's drinking. Many times, the family had to cover for the head of household when the law came looking for the father.

As young adult, Kermit also watched a miracle unfold. He watched his father become entirely sober at age 54. Virgil joined Alcoholic Anonymous, a group he credits with saving his life. Kermit paid close attention to his father's actions. While alcohol did derailed the family's beginnings, Kermit didn't judge his father. He saw the good.

Kermit watched his father's work ethic, his sense of humor, and his kindness to strangers play out over the years. Those values took root in the early version of Kermit Henry and stayed with him during a lifetime. However, watching his father beat alcoholism was a turning point later on in life.

As a nomadic family, Kermit grew up with the rich experiences of travel and adventure. The family set down temporary roots in Kansas, Oklahoma, Colorado, Washington and finally California, finally buying a house in National City. The warm climate and mild winters made San Diego attractive. The house the Henry's settled their family was small, but cozy.

Deer head trophies adorned the walls, the remnants of numerous hunting trips. You could always find a Mad Magazine close by. The family would always gather to watch and laugh at The Beverly Hill Billies. The show harkened them back to the simple, but rich love of country folk. You could find the family sitting together under the shade tree in the front yard. Kermit and Joe could be found working on their latest hot rod.

In San Diego, times were good, times were bad. Kermit kept a steady optimism about his life, his immediate family, and his friends, and his country. For him, it was easy to sort out the good and the bad in the world. He stuck with the good. He promoted it. He encouraged others to do the same. During this time, he became increasingly independent. Hot rods and his love of art began to fill his spare time, but he still found something missing.

After high school graduation, Kermit enlisted in the Air Force, where he served in the Mediterranean theater. He educated himself in the ways of the Arab and European cultures. While in Italy, he learned to cook. Cooking would be a lifetime endeavor the the man who would not marry. The military taught him many things, but cooking was the one talent that stayed with him his entire life.

According to relatives, Kermit's marinara sauce is cause for legend, so much so that Kermit has kept the recipe in a locked drawer all his life. Dustin Henry, Kermit's nephew, said his uncle instructed him to only release it after his death. The recipe takes more than a day to complete.

After the military, Kermit and his brother Joe, literally followed in their father's footsteps to Hawaii. Virgil Henry was a mason, and his stone creations were considered works of art by his clients. Without the ball and chain of alcohol limiting his creative expression, the elderly Henry found his art flourishing in Hawaii. His craft was a source of pride and income for many years.

Kermit and Joe soon found lucrative work constructing pools, a trade that kept Kermit busy until age 73. In his later years, he specialized in tile work. Relatives said he didn't want to quit, but his love for Arkansas and his twin hobbies of cars and art pulled him into retirement.

The life in Hawaii, during the 70s, 80s, and 90s, had been rich in night life. The pleasures were many. The house in Kaneohe, Hawaii would be filled with empty beer cases. Sometimes, the cases would be stacked in multiple columns to the ceiling. As the years went by, Kermit watched his brother dissolve into alcoholism and succumb to a painful death at age 54. He knew his life was headed in that direction also.

Now in his 50s, Kermit made the decision to quit the life that killed his brother. He quit drinking. He quit smoking. Following his father's example, and sober and confident in the future, Kermit made a better life for himself and stayed healthy until his death in Dennard at age 83.

Those who knew Kermit Henry knew him as a quiet, honest man who was generous to all. Although a singular, independent man, who didn't want to marry, Kermit cared about those around him and community he shared with others. Kermit would give his paintings to friends and relatives. He was also there to give anyone a hand up. He would be at church to sing with everyone.

In the end, happiness wasn't about complex relationships for Kermit Henry, but a simple need to live one's best life, something he saw and emulated from his father's lifestyle. His work ethic, honesty, and generosity will be the legacy stamped on the hearts of the friends and family who knew this simple and gentle man. He will be missed, but he won't be forgotten. For many, he is the example of how to live a decent life.

Visitation is 10:00 am, Thursday, July 11, 2019 at Faith Church of Dennard in Dennard, AR. Mr. Henry's funeral service will follow at 11:00 am with his interment at Dennard Cemetery.

Arrangements are entrusted to Roller-McNutt Funeral Home in Clinton, AR.

For online guestbook visit rollerfuneralhomes.com/clinton


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