Ralph Bryan Henson
(September 27, 1928 - February 11, 2010)
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Funeral services for Ralph
Bryan Henson will be on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2010 at 1:30 pm at
St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Innis, LA with Rev.
Elizabeth Ratcliff officiating. Burial will be in the church
cemetery under the direction of Melancon Funeral Home,
Bunkie. Mr. Henson, age 81, of Bunkie, LA, a former resident
of Peoria, IL and Lafayette, IN, passed away on Thursday
afternoon, Feb. 11, 2010 at Bayou Vista Manor Nursing
Center. He was born in Jackson, TN and lived in Batchelor,
LA, graduating from Innis High School and then from Bradley
University. He married Maia Smith on May 5, 1952 in Mt.
Vernon, IL. He was a retired engineer from Caterpillar, Inc
after twenty-three years of service. He was the design
engineer of the Caterpillar 350 engine built in Lafayette,
IN.He was a life member of the American Society of
Mechanical Engineers, the National Society of Professional
Engineers and the Indiana Society of Professional
Engineers;a registered Professional Engineer with the State
of Illinois; and was a Degree of Knight of St. Patrick by
the Joint Engineering Council, Bradley University, Peoria,
IL. Ralph learned to fly in 1946 - 1947 at LSU, Baton Rouge,
LA. He loved flying and had over 4,000 hours of flying time.
Survivors include his wife of 58 years, Maida Smith Henson
of Bunkie; on daughter, Lisa Henson Rauer and her husband,
Fred, of Wolcott, IN; a sister, Shirley Humphrey and her
husband, Ron, of Camdon, TN and a sister-in-law, Vera Henson
of Bunkie; and many children that were special
"grandchildren" to Maida and Ralph. He was preceded in death
by his parents, James and Mildred Talbert Henson, a brother,
James Henson, and two sisters, Lois Goodman and Jean Walker.
Visitation will be at Melancon Funeral Home, Bunkie from 5
pm - 7pm Monday, Feb. 15, 2010 and from 12:30 pm until
service time on Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2010 at St. Stephen's
Episcopal Church, Innis, LA. Please share sympathies,
memories or online condolences with the Henson family at
www.melanconfunerals.com