Hugh Henson, Jr.

Hugh E. Henson, Jr., Colonel, U.S. Army, Retired, of Waco died at age 82 on Wednesday, October 3, 2018, at Lake Ridge Healthy Living. Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m., Friday, October 12, at St. Alban's Episcopal Church, 305 N. 30th Street in Waco, with the Rev. Aaron Zimmerman officiating. Interment will follow at Oakwood Cemetery. His body will lie in state at Wilkirson-Hatch-Bailey Funeral Home. Col. Henson was born January 1, 1936, in “old” Hillcrest Hospital in Waco, the only child of Hugh and Catherine Johnson Henson. He was educated in the Waco public schools, graduating from Waco High in May of 1953. He then attended Baylor University from which he received a B.B.A. degree in August of 1956. He went directly to Yale University Law School from which he received an LL.B. degree in June of 1959. He later earned an LL.M. in 1968 and a Doctor of the Science of Law (J.S.D.) in 1972, both also from Yale Law School. After being licensed to practice law in Texas in September of 1959, Col. Henson was called to active duty in the Regular Army of the United States as a First Lieutenant, JAG, in November of 1959. He served overseas in Germany, Korea, and Japan (Okinawa) and in many different places in the United States, to include Alaska, Oklahoma, Virginia, Kansas and Washington, D.C. His last duty assignment was eight years as tenured Deputy Head of the Department of Law at the United States Military Academy, West Point, New York. He received many service awards, the highest being two separate awards of The Legion of Merit. He retired from active duty as a Colonel in September of 1983 and returned to Waco in November of the same year. Upon his return to Waco, Col. Henson joined St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, where he was elected to three separate terms on the Vestry serving as Junior Warden for three years. He was a member of the Board of Directors of The Historic Waco Foundation, serving as President in 2007 and 2008. He was also a member of the Board of Directors of Keep Waco Beautiful. He was a long-time member of the Rotary Club of Waco, serving as Attendance Committee chair for a number of years. He was a sponsor of the Waco Symphony, and a member of The Brazos Forum, the Fano Club at Baylor, the Constitution Island Association at West Point, and The Yale Club of New York City. He was especially interested in reading, in the decorative arts, cooking and travel when health permitted. Col. Henson was preceded in death by his parents. He leaves no direct survivors; however, he leaves behind three godchildren, Kenneth, Kevin and Katherine Ewing, their families and their parents, Ky and Almuth Ewing, all of Washington, D.C. and its suburbs. He is also survived by cousins, Dr. Marvin G. Parker and wife, Suzie, of Naples Florida, Dr. Nathan J. Porter, Leslie Porter Smith, Dr. Joel Porter, and James “Jimmy” R. Smith, all of Waco. He has one cousin, Tony K. Henson, who also lives in Waco and to whom inquiries may be made. The family would like to express their special appreciation to Uni Murphy and the staff at Lake Ridge Healthy Living for their care and compassion. In lieu of flowers, donations are requested to be made to the Endowment Fund of St. Alban’s Episcopal Church, or the charity of your choice. The family invites you to leave a message or memory on our "Tribute Wall" at www.WHBfamily.com.