Bobby (Bob) Fritz Henning died 8/10/16. Bobby was born in Des Moines, Iowa December 23, 1930. Preceding him in death were his parents Adolph and Marjorie Henning, his wife Maureen Henning brother Melvin Henning and son Kurt Henning. Bobby was proclaimed Iowa’s youngest ornithologist and expert on birds at age 5 by the Des Moines Register and Tribune and America’s Parade of Youth, May 17, l936.
He ran in the Drake Relays on a grade school track team, was on a cross-country track team and baseball team in high school. He played on several softball teams that won city championships in Des Moines, IA and Florence, AL. He played on regimental baseball and soccer teams with the 505th Airborne Regimental Army teams and with the Ranger Baseball team.
Bob was a member of the 82nd Airborne Division and an airborne ranger of 7th and 9th Ranger Company during the Korean conflict. He married Maureen McMillen in a Ranger Chapel at Ft. Benning, Georgia August 19, 1951. They had two children Kurt and Candace. Bob graduated from Iowa State College in 1956 and moved to Florence, Alabama where he began work with the Alloys Plant of Reynolds Metals Company. Bob worked in various jobs in Personnel and Production while at Alloys for 16 years and was transferred to the McCook plant where he worked for 17 years as rolling superintendent, area plant superintendent and human resource developmental manager.
Bob was president of North Florence Kiwanis Club, member of the Muscle Shoals Mental Health Committee, member of the Muscle Shoals Wage Administration Committee, president of Reynolds Metals Industrial Management Club. He was a youth director for ten years at Community Presbyterian Church in Clarendon Hills, Illinois, and elder at Westminster Presbyterian and First Presbyterian Churches in Florence, Al. He was vice president of the board of directors at the Moorings Country Club in Naples, FL as well as golf chairman. He was a member of Turtle Point Club Country Club for ten years as well as a member of the Florence Rotary Club for ten years.
He is survived by daughter Candace Lewis (Mike), grandchildren Ryan Gibson (Jessica), Taylor and Lindsey Lewis, great grandchildren Sierra, Jacob and Colton Gibson. A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday August 20, at First Presbyterian Church in Florence, with the Rev. Brandon E. Miles officiating. Visitation will begin at 2 p.m. in the church library. Elkins Funeral Home is assisting the family.
In lieu of flowers please make contributions to First Presbyterian Church, 224 E. Mobile St. Florence, AL. 35630, or Hospice of the Shoals, 115 Fairground Rd. Florence, AL 35630.
You are invited to leave condolences at www.elkinsfuneralhome.com.
