July 31, 1930 – Dec. 29, 2015
Harold Lewis Hennick, 85, of Sweet Home died Dec. 29, 2105.
He was born July 31, 1930 in Port Orchard, Wash. to Ernest W. and Pearl (Hutton) Hennick and lived in Port Orchard and Port Orford, Wash., Foster and Sweet Home.
When he was 14 he worked with tug boat crews on the Puget Sound. In 1947 at the age of 16 he entered the CB Navy, going on to serve in the U.S. Navy from February 1948 until he received an Honorable Discharge in December of 1959 (serving in the CB Battalion from 1951 until 1959).
In 1946, Mr. Hennick participated in an expedition to the North Pole under the command of Admiral Byrd. He was one of the 12 survivors, in 1950, from the USS Navy ship “Magpie” when it was sunk and was also with the occupation forces at Ground Zero in Hiroshima, Japan.
While in Japan (1954) he contracted malaria. Mr. Hennick received many awards while serving in the Navy: the Korean Service Award with two stars, the Asia Pacific Campaign Award, the Korean Occupation Service Award, the Disabled Veteran of Korean War Award and the Navy Unit Commendation Medal.
He was a member of St. Helen Catholic Church in Sweet Home. Mr. Hennick enjoyed being with his children and grandchildren, golfing, hunting, auto racing, competitive car shows, and being a mechanic on anything. He was a past ER (exalted ruler) of the Elks Lodge 1972 in Sweet Home.
Mr. Hennick is survived by his wife, Juanita Hennick of Sweet Home; daughter Dianne Donald of Washington; sons Kevin Hennick of South Carolina and Ron Hennick of Sweet Home; stepchildren Donnie, Patty, Carol, Vicky, Dean, Don, Mike, Dean and Sam; 30 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren. His children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren live in six different states.
Mr. Hennick was preceded in death by his daughter, Debbi Christensen; and stepson Terry Bentley.
Rosary will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 9, at St. Helen’s Catholic Church, with a memorial Mass following at 11 a.m. at the church. That will be followed by a Veterans Service at 1 p.m. at the Elks Lodge – BPOE 1972, both in Sweet Home.
Donations can be made to St. Helen Catholic Church in Sweet Home. Sweet Home Funeral Chapel is handling arrangements.