DR. ROSS HENDERSON B.SC. M.E. (MB) M.B.A.

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DR. ROSS HENDERSON B.SC. M.E. (MB) M.B.A. (Harvard) PH.D. (U. West. ONT) Professor (RET) P. ENG. (RET) Dr. Ross Henderson passed away at sunrise July 26, 2009 at the age of 80. Ross was born August 5, 1928 at Winnipeg, Manitoba to Douglas and Annie Henderson. He was raised in Elmwood on Glenwood Crescent and attended St. John's Tech where in Grade 11 he won the Governor Generals Award for Academic Performance. He graduated from the University of Manitoba Faculty of Engineering in 1955. Ross funded the tuition for this degree by working as a fishing guide at Delaney Lake Lodge in N.W. Ontario during summer break. In 1952 he noticed that a young woman who was working in the kitchen at Delaney, trying to fund her nursing degree was an avid swimmer and he said to himself That's the girl for me , Ross married Jeanette Kirk at Winnipeg, October 10, 1953 and so began a love that endured for more than 55 years. In 1955 Ross was awarded a scholarship to the Harvard University M.B.A. Program, having had the highest entrance exam marks of all applicants that year and with the support of Jeanette, he graduated Harvard in 1957. Ross founded Damascus Steel in Winnipeg in the early 60s, which is still the site of a manufacturing plant to this day. He went on to become General Manager of Dosco Steel in Montreal. He returned to Winnipeg in 1969 and began his life career as a Professor at the University of Manitoba School of Commerce (now the Asper School of Business). Between teaching in the summer and commuting to London, he graduated as a PH.D. of Business from the University of Western Ontario in 1975 having completed a 4-year doctorate course in 2 years. Ross loved the challenge of teaching bright, aspiring, young minds, putting his heart and soul into his chosen occupation. I want to make them think was one of his familiar quotes. This dedication was rewarded with an extremely fulfilling career during which he was awarded the Olive Beatrice Stanton Award for Excellence in teaching multiple times. Ross retired from teaching in 1993 but maintained an office at the faculty for many years after his retirement Just to keep his hand in . Ross was a diverse individual who loved an adventure, be it circling the globe to see all the far away places he had read about as a child, China, Samarkand, Tahiti and Europe or reconnecting with distant relatives in his ancestral Scotland. After satisfying his wanderlust he and Jeanette settled into a well-deserved, comfortable lifestyle of vacations to Mazatlan, Mexico in the winter and spending summers at his beloved family cottage at Cache Lake, Ontario where he had spent the summers of his youth. Four generations of Hendersons have summered at the cottage and in his last weeks he told us Oh, how I would love to paddle the lake one last time . We know that he will be with us as we paddle those same waters he did, throughout his life and up until just two years ago. Ross's two grandchildren were the apples of his eye and it was amazing to see the twinkle in those eyes when he was around them. In his last weeks they were just about the only people who could put a smile on his face and they loved their grandpa as much as he loved them. A loving, honourable man who stood behind his family all the way, accepting us for who we were, being excited about and involved in all the various endeavours we have been involved in and offering his unconditional love and support in so many ways. To be truly happy, deep down inside, is our purpose in life. Well said Ross. Words to live by from a very wise man. Ross was predeceased by his father and mother and leaves to honour and cherish his memory, his wife Jeanette, sons Scott, Craig (Barbara), and Eric, grandchildren Lauren and Glen. Ross is also survived by his sister Anne and brother Grant as well as sister-in-law Monique, nieces Michelle, Camille and Elaine and their families. Numerous other relatives both in Winnipeg and abroad. The family wishes to express their deepest appreciation to Mary Anne (Lauren's mom) for all she did for Dad in those last weeks as well as Dr. Justin Wong, all the staff on A4 at Health Sciences Centre and the Palliative Homecare staff and management. Your care and compassion in supporting Jeanette through this difficult time and assisting Ross in achieving one of his last wishes to Go Home was amazing. Thank You. A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, August 4, 2009 at Glen Eden Funeral Home, 4477 Main Street at 10:00 a.m. Viewing will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. Interment will follow in the Garden of Prayer. WE LOVE YOU FOREVER HUSBAND DAD GRANDPA FRIEND Glen Eden Funeral Home 338-7111

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Aug 01, 2009