Walter Henningsen

WALTER HENNINGSEN was born on March 4, 1929 to Peter and Marie (Hendricksen) Henningsen in Persia, Iowa. He moved with his family to Elkton, South Dakota in 1942, then a year later they relocated South of Verdi, Minnesota where he attended Verdi Public School, graduating in 1946. Walt went on to work for various farmers in the area. On August 1, 1951, he was united in marriage to Dorothy Kuehl at Grace Lutheran Church in Lake Benton, Minnesota. The couple made their home in Pipestone, Minnesota where Walt worked for Feckers Egg Company. In 1954, they moved to a farm one mile north of Verdi, before settling into the farm on the East side of town. Walt continued to reside on the farm with Dorothy until just before he passed away on November 8, 2018 at the Colonial Manor in Balaton, Minnesota at the age of 89 years, 8 months, and 4 days.

Walt was a lifetime member of Grace Lutheran Church. He served on the Church Council, Lincoln County Planning Commission, and the Town and Community Boards. He was a member of the Sportsman Club, and was a Master of the McKliney Masonic Lodge #251. Walt was very proud of his work done through the El Riad Shrine that led to the sponsored care of two young burn patients. In addition to being a farmer for life, he was also a school bus driver for several years. Walt was a John Deere man and enjoyed restoring old tractors, he could fix anything. He also had a knack for carpentry and made several clocks. His other hobbies include training Roy, his dog of 13 years. He was also an avid collector of arrowheads and rocks found mostly on the farm. His children even say he is the inventor of the “weather rock,” if the rock is wet – it’s raining. Walt’s legacy is filled with these one-liners and plenty of stories that start off with “When I was a kid…” but he will truly be remembered for his willingness to help anyone. His family was so very important to him and he will be greatly missed.

Walt is survived by his wife Dorothy, of Verdi; children, Barbara (Robert) Plueger of Tomah, Wisconsin, Jim (Antoinette) of St. Joseph, Minnesota, and David (Jan) of Sibley, Iowa; 8 grandchildren and 3 step-grandchildren, Jenny, Melissa, Brad, Bobbi Jo, Gavin, Amanda, Evan, and Mystic, Heather, Emily, and Robert; 11 great-grandchildren and 7 step-grandchildren, Blaine, Ashlin, Jessica, Hailey, Carter, Ella, Brady, Brielle, Cash, Jaxton, Jett, Nicholas, Christopher, Matthew, Abigail, Sam, Joe, and Kate; and his brother, John Henningsen. He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Norma Jean; and 3 brothers, Werner, Donald, and Reinhold.