Jack Henrickson

Jack Henrickson, 90, of Newport, Oregon passed away peacefully in his sleep early Tuesday morning January 12, 2016. His loving wife, Lorraine, was by his side. He had suffered the previous year from cancer of the lower spine. Jack was born to Swedish immigrants Carl Johan and Agnes Helena Henrickson on August 11, 1925 in Estacada, Oregon. He graduated from Estacada High School in 1946. Prior to that, Jack was an Army Sergeant in WWII on the Island of Tinian, the Mariana Islands (from where the Enola Gay took off), where he serviced and repaired hundreds of propellers for the legendary B-29 Superfortress Bombers' sorties on Japan. B-29 pilots reportedly told their mechanics, "I'm not taking off until the Swede has checked my propellers." Awards/Decorations Asiatic Pacific Theater Ribbon; American Theater Ribbon; Victory Medal; Good Conduct Medal; Battles and Campaigns: India Burma, Central Burma, China, Air Offensive Japan. Shortly after the War, not only did Jack become a passionate advocate for peace, but he rekindled his romance with his childhood sweetheart, Lorraine Mabel Mahar, whom he married on March 9, 1947 in her hometown of Vernonia, Oregon. After moving to Portland, Oregon, Jack and Lorraine gave birth to their only son, Richard Ralph Henrickson in 1948 and their only daughter, Jeanne Lorraine Henrickson (now Andre) in 1951. Jack was literally a "Jack of All Trades," becoming first a radio & TV repairman after the War, then long-time (30 years) salesman for both Cummins Diesel and GM Detroit Diesel engines and "Jake Brakes" (Jacob Engine Brakes) in the Northwest U.S. and Hawaii, all the while being his own automobile mechanic and, without a college education, building and/or remodeling eight houses singlehandedly in Oregon and Hawaii from foundation to roof as a selftaught draftsman, architect, carpenter, mason (his favorite), plumber, electrician, roofer, painter, cabinet-maker and all-round fix-it man right out of "This Old House." After retiring at age 53, he kept on building wings on houses but went on to become a prize-winning photographer, specializing in multi-image nature slide shows with his some 20,000 photos of the National Parks of the Western U.S. - including Hawaii - to Europe and Scandinavia - including Sweden. Creative genius though he was, Jack was equally known for his loving spirit. Although not a church-going man, he was a member of the First Congregational Church of Milwaukie, Oregon, United Church of Christ and as spiritual as any minister with his love for and belief in the basic goodness of man and in God and nature, which permeated his very being and touched everyone he met and everything he did, from his love for friends and family to the grocery store clerk, from the eco-friendly houses he built on the dramatic cliffs of Oceanside, Oregon to the lush tropical Iao Valley on Maui, where he and his wife Lorraine lived for 13 years. Just one of his many Facebook tributes reads, "One of the kindest and gentlest people I have ever known." Jack is survived by his beloved wife and long-time sweetheart Lorraine, son Richard Henrickson and daughter Jeannie (Don) Andre. A Memorial Service for Jack Henrickson will be held at the Newport Visual Arts Center, 777 NW Beach Dr., Newport, OR 97365 TBA.

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Jack Henrickson

August 11, 1925 - January 12, 2016