ROCHESTER, NY - Southwestern Central Class of '66 classmate Chris Henderson passed away January 23. His obituary (listed below) says it was "following a lengthy battle with cancer."
Chris was the editor of The Trojan (school newspaper) our senior year. And if I remember correctly, he was instrumental in convincing faculty advisor Calvin Hanson to allow John Rupp and I to write a gossip column called "The Eavesdroppers."
Rupp and I had a great time writing it, though more than once we were threatened with bodily injury for what we had posted about some goings on at the Lakewood Drive-In.
Chris could have nixed that column at the outset. But he seemed to have a rebellious side to him that didn't show very often, except in quiet ways.
My other memory of Chris - one that still makes me smile, was during some kind of end of the year show that the class put on.
In the skit, Chris played Tom Priester. At the time, then Mr. Priester got a ration of ribbing all the time for teaching girls' PE.
On one side of the stage was a curtain with bare arms waving and voices saying,
"Oh Mr. Priester, Mr. Priester, I need a towel, please!!!!"
The arms and voices, of course, meant to represent the girls' shower room - and just another day in the locker room with the high school girls in his PE classes.
Chris came on stage from the opposite side, wearing a blindfold and baseball cape, walking tenuously all the across until he clumsily tossed the towels to the waving arms.
But when he turned and walked back across the stage, you see his blindfold only covered ONE EYE.
And as Chris walked back across the stage - with the audience just roaring with laughter - Chris had a grin on his face I can still remember.
Rest in peace Judge Chris. Rest in peace.
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OBITUARY
You always knew he was up to something by the twinkle in his eyes. He loved travelling to various parts of the world, spending his winters in St. Thomas, keeping up with political news and the stock market and was always willing to share his opinions. He is predeceased by his parents, Charles F. and Jeanne R. Henderson, and his favorite aunt, Frances Henderson. Chris is survived by siblings Candace Larson of Lakewood, NY and Timothy P. (Susan) Henderson Sr. of Pittsford, NY as well as nieces and nephews Kerstin (John) Kenty of Clearwater, Florida, Shannon (Stan Horan) Larson of Kona, Hawaii and Deirdre (Blake) Luvon of Twisp, Washington, T. Parker (Jessica) Henderson Jr. of Hilliard, Ohio, Christopher (Frances Miller) Henderson of Chicago, Illinois, and Laura (Matthew) Dudek of Charlotte, North Carolina. In addition, he has nine great nieces and nephews. Chris is a 1966 graduate of Southwestern Central High School (Jamestown, NY), received his BA from Dartmouth College in 1970 followed by his attainment of a JD degree from Georgetown University Law Center (1973). Upon graduation, he was the law clerk for the highly respected Judge Herbert Stern in New Jersey. Chris then served in the US Navy JAG Corps from 1975 -1979.
Chris was a partner in the law firm of Digges & Henderson in LaPlata, Maryland and was named and elected Associate Judge in the Seventh Judicial Circuit for Charles County from 1996 until his retirement in 2008.
Of note, he presided over the longest criminal trial in Charles County history. Chris was a member of the District of Columbia Bar, State Court of Military Appeals Bar, Maryland State Bar Association and Charles County State Bar (President 1994). He was also a Director of the Charles County Freedom Landing (1990 - 1996) as well as Mattawoman Creek Art Center (1996).
A Celebration of Life will be held in LaPlata, Maryland with his remains being scattered at a later date in his beloved St. Thomas. Memorials can be made to the Mattawoman Creek Art Center (www.mattawomanart.org) of which Chris was an avid supporter.
