Craig Lowell Henning

Craig Henning, formerly of Calamus and Johnston, Iowa, died Saturday, December 16, 2017, at his home in Arlington, Texas, surrounded by loving family.

Craig was born January 20, 1945, to Milton and Audrey (Petersen) Henning, the fourth of six children. As children, Craig and his sister Brenda were very precocious and known locally as the Katzenjammer Kids.  The most ambitious of his childhood adventures involved climbing into the polar bear habitat at the Brookfield Zoo.  He married his high school sweetheart, Sandra Hansen in 1963.  Together, they had five children and remained madly in love until the end. One of his biggest concerns in leaving this world was who would make Sandy breakfast, draw her bath, fill her gas tank, and buy her groceries.  Sandy is learning.

He graduated from Calamus High School in 1963. Craig planned to go to the University of Iowa to play baseball; however, his father’s death and the need to help his mother with the farm marked an end to his education through formal channels. Craig was street smart and ever resilient; after the farm crisis in the 1980s he started and thrived in a second career at the age of 41.

Craig will forever be known for his heart of gold, continuously demonstrating it through such feats as lending his brand new pickup to strangers from out of state, random acts of kindness, anonymously paying off layaway gifts for kids who wouldn’t otherwise have a Christmas and helping others affected in the farm crisis start new careers.

He enjoyed karaoke, playing cards, the Iowa Hawkeyes, playing golf, making food for friends, and hunting, but what he loved most were his family and friends. He passed on many things to his kids and grandkids: his fiercely competitive nature, his love of good food and good music, and his generous heart.

He was diagnosed in late April of 2017 with grade 4 Glioblastoma Multiforme. Craig had been plagued by many health issues through the years, including Parkinson’s. He took it all in stride, never complaining and always stating it could be worse. In the end it was the worst that proved to be his demise.

Craig is survived by his wife, Sandy; sons, Jeff (Twila) Henning of Minneapolis, Minnesota, Christopher Shawn Henning of Calamus and Ryan (Shannon) Henning of Aledo, Texas; daughters, Kristin (Roy) Schlinkert of Arlington, Texas, and Heather Henning of Phoenix, Arizona; grandchildren, Joey, Allison and Christopher Henning, Michael and Alec Schlinkert, Conner, Kloey, Evan, Drew and Luke Henning  and Carter and Mackenzie Henning; sisters and brothers-in-law, Janelle (Warne) Ramsey of Littleton, Colorado, and Denice (Joe) Birdwell of Rockford, Tennessee; a brother and sister-in-law, Dennis (Kay) Henning of Wilton, Iowa; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law,, Mildred Hansen of Wheatland, North Dakota, Kay Olson of DeWitt, Jutta Hansen of Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, Dot (El) Gertner of Papillion, Nebraska, Sonja (Ray) Byerly of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, and Eunice (Steve) Olson of DeWitt; numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, Doug Henning; sister, Brenda (Henning) Aiken; nephews, David and Mark Ramsey and  Jason Birdwell; sisters-in-law, Meryne (Mueller) Henning, Ruth (Hansen) Whittey, and Joan Hansen; and brothers-in-law, Paul Hansen, Chris Hansen, Robert Aiken, Les Grau, Joel Olson and Scott Whittey.

The family will receive relatives and friends at Schultz Funeral Home, DeWitt, Iowa, from 4:00 until 7:00 p.m. , Thursday, December 28, 2017.  A Service of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Friday, December 29, 2017, at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, rural Calamus.  The Rev. William Runaas, Jr. will officiate.  Burial will follow at Kvindherred Cemetery.   In lieu of other expressions of sympathy, memorials are suggested to Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, Parkinson’s or Glioblastoma research.  You may perform an unexpected and unsolicited act of kindness for someone in need in Craig’s honor.

Condolences may be expressed and a photo tribute viewed at www.schultzfuneralhomes.com.