Jeff Henninger: Fiddlers Green

[Beth Frampton]

I am sending this Weathermark on behalf of Steve Helland.

It is with great sadness that I inform the Wayzata Yacht Club of the death
of Jeff Henninger, our dear friend and longtime Capri 25 Consensus
crewmate.  On Saturday morning, July 14th 2012 at the age of 44, Jeff ended
his lifelong health challenges, which began in childhood with Crohn’s
Disease and eventually led to a rare form of colon cancer, with which he
was finally diagnosed in early 2010.  Jeff leaves behind his wife Anne and
stepson Alex, in addition to many family and friends--especially at the
Wayzata Yacht Club, which he loved so much.

Jeff was our ace headsail trimmer for most of the eleven or so years that
we've sailed together as a crew.  In addition to Consensus, he sailed three
boats of his own:  a Laser, which he had occasionally raced on Tuesday
nights; an O'Day Daysailer for family cruising (which is now at WYC, aptly
named Endurance); and especially, his first love was his I-20 Scow named
Misfit Toy, which the two of us raced together for about eight years over
at MYC and occasionally at class regattas in Wisconsin.  Jeff had also
crewed with Parrrley at WYC, as well as with Norwegian Woody at J/22 North
American Champs in Cleveland and at J/22 Midwinter Champs in New Orleans.

Onboard Consensus, we have many fond memories of sailing with Jeff—not just
for his sailing skills, but for being such a genuinely nice guy and a great
friend.  Working with him in the cockpit sometimes reminded me of how the
British Naval officers were portrayed in chaotic battle scenes from the old
Horatio Hornblower movies—always the perfect gentleman, calmly and politely
saying "please" and "thank you," even during the noisy chaos of starts,
crowded mark roundings, or when the boat was close to broaching in heavy
air.

In addition to his passion for sailing, Jeff was a brilliant software
designer.  He was also a black & white photographer, and an aficionado of
classic soul and funk music (on regatta road trips, he was never shy about
blasting his James Brown CD’s at ear-bleed volume all the way there and
back).  But especially, Jeff was an avid student of Lake Minnetonka
history—collecting books, articles and old photos wherever he could find
them.  In fact, he was one of the dedicated volunteer workers who spent
years restoring the steamboat Minnehaha* *in the 1990’s.

We already miss Jeff dearly, and neither life nor sailing will ever be the
same without him.  A memorial service will be held at Trinity Lutheran
Church in Long Lake on Saturday, July 28th at 11:00 AM (visitation will
begin at 9:00 AM).  Please keep Jeff's family in your thoughts and prayers.

Respectully,

Steve Helland



-- 
Beth Frampton
beth.frampton at gmail.com
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