Obituary of James Philip Henry

James Philip Henry (Phil) passed away peacefully Friday morning, January 16, 2015 in Fort Memorial Hospital at the age of 82. The family of which he was so proud had gathered around him for the past 10 days as Phil suffered from pneumonia complicated by congestive heart failure. Phil was born in Madison, Wisconsin to Buford and Marie (Grandstaff) Henry on October 28, 1932, He grew up in Madison, graduating from Madison West High School and attending the University of Wisconsin, Madison. He loved swimming and ice skating in Madison's lakes and parks. On November 5, 1955 Phil married Donna Baker at First English Lutheran Church in Whitewater. They lived first in Madison where Phil worked as a draftsman, then moved to Kirkwood, Missouri where he was a salesman for American Bitumuls and Asphalt Co. That job took him next to Libertyville and Mundelein, Illinois where they lived until health problems brought Phil and Donna with their three children to Whitewater where he worked with his father-in-law Harley Baker in the automobile business. After Phil retired from the garage business he worked part-time for Commercial Bank filling ATM machines and he thoroughly enjoyed the people he worked with and those he met through his job. Phil served in the National Guard for about 6 years. Over the years Phil enjoyed boating, snowmobiling, traveling, playing cards, music, dancing, his coffee group, and all the activities his busy children were involved in. He was blessed with grandchildren and in recent years with great-grandchildren, Phil would proudly show pictures of them to any and all who might be interested. Phil was a people person and thoroughly enjoyed his friends and acquaintances through the years. Coming from a small family, Phil found his greatest joy in later years in family and he was proud of each and every one of them. He was a member of the Whitewater Lions Club for a number of years and a member of First English Lutheran Church. Phil was preceded in death by his parents and his brother David as well as his in-laws, Mildred and Harley Baker. He will be sorely missed by his wife of 59 years, Donna, his children Jelaine (Jim) Goehl, Whitewater, WI, Jane Henry, Los Gatos, CA, and Mark (Debe) Henry, Sun Prairie, WI, Beloved grandchildren include Jarod (Amanda) Goehl, Dan (Star) Goehl, Michael (Jade) Goehl, Jake and Jamie Lehman , Tayler Henry, Gretchen (Damien) Riviera, Marta (Creed) Hansen, and Alex (Erin) Edland, Great-grandchildren include Kaylee, Kiera, Gabrielle, Joshua, and Elizabeth Goehl, Sophie, Eva, Ratkovic, and Lila Riviera, Willum and Ben Hansen, Jack, Luke and Patrick Edland. Phil's faithful dogs, Jedi and Ebby also mourn his absence. Memorial services will take place at First English Lutheran Church, 401 W. Main St., Whitewater, WI, on Saturday, January 24th at 2 p.m. with visitation at 1 p.m. The family would like to thank the staff at the Fort Atkinson Hospital ICU and Rainbow Hospice for the care they gave to Phil and our family. Those planning an expression of sympathy may wish to consider a memorial to the Whitewater Food Pantry, Whitewater Lion�s Club, or to Rainbow Hospice of Jefferson, WI. The Nitardy Funeral Home, Whitewater, WI is assisting the family.