Edward L. Henneman's Obituary
Edward L. Henneman was born in Valentine, MT on August 2, 1932 to Carl and Hazel. Edward had three brothers, two sisters and two step brothers. The family moved to Bremerton when he was a boy. After leaving Silverdale High School, Edward joined the US Marines Corps where he served for three years until May 1955.
Decorated Marine Service
Stationed at three bases on American soil, Camp LeJeune, NC, Camp Pendleton, CA and Barstow, CA and serving overseas in both Japan and Korea, Sergeant Henneman was an honored marine. He received a number of ribbons and awards including the American Defense Ribbon, Korean Service Ribbon with Star, United Nations Ribbon, Presidential Unit Citation, Good Conduct Medal, Weapons Qualifications Medal and the Expert Weapons Medal.
Career
Once discharged from the Marine Corps, Ed returned to the Bremerton area. He took the ferry every day to Seattle where he worked for Boeing. In 1961, the Puget Sound Navel Shipyards (PSNS) hired Ed as a Sheet Metal Worker apprentice. He also attended night school at Olympic College where he studied Technical Arts from 1958 to 1966. In 1967, he began working in damage control and became a Naval Architect Technician. His work often involved two-week intervals of travel on a ship or submarine. He was in a trustworthy position as his ‘Top Secret’ security clearance allowed access to all points on board while doing engineering and stability workups. By 1985, Edward was the Design Division Supervisor of Naval Architects and Naval Architect Technicians at PSNS where he stayed until retirement.
Blind Match
Karen and Edward met on a blind double date in 1958 – she was only allowed to go out with him if he met her dad first! She was 20 and he 28 when the young couple married on August 26, 1960 in Bremerton. Their first child, Henry, was born in 1962 followed by the birth of Bret in 1964.
Instructor
Edward loved to share his knowledge. He taught Advanced First Aid and CPR through Olympic College and PSNS. The fire department asked him to teach their personnel. After that experience, the fire department became a major part of his life. Edward absorbed what he learned and eventually taught everything from hose and ladder fundamentals to live fire training. He wrote the Driver Training program for the Fire District and earned the NFPA Instructor Levels I and II Certificates.
Volunteer
Waiting for the next call at the fire station was never boring for Ed. He was often seen wearing his ‘Fire & Rescue’ ball cap, working diligently, his head bent over one of the hundreds of crossword or Sudoku puzzles he enjoyed unraveling. He loved challenging his mind, finding the puzzles fun and easy – or so he liked to say. Having served with the Kitsap County Fire District 15 and the Central Kitsap Fire and Rescue since the mid ‘60s, he was known by everyone. The volunteer firefighter earned the positions of Station Captain and Training Captain. He retired as Training Battalion Chief in
2001. Edward received many accolades including Firefighter of the Year, EMT of the Year, and Training Officer of the Year, as well as being honored by the state.
Family Fun
When Ed wasn’t doing his woodworking or playing on his baseball team he would take his family camping. Members of the Elks Travel and Fun Club, Ed and Karen would take their boys in their 36’ motor home on wonderful adventures. Socializing with friends and family while enjoying the fresh air and the very best of camp fires were highlights in Ed’s personal life. A dedicated dad, Ed became involved with the Boy Scouts of America. The scoutmaster worked with his sons until they got their Eagle designation. Father and sons would hike through the Olympic Mountain range at least three times a year. Ed encouraged his boys in soccer, wrestling (one son was state champion in his weight class) and bowling.
Delighted in Dahlias
Not just any gardener, Ed was a dahlia nurturer. He looked after eight raised beds which were three feet wide by twenty feet long. There were over one hundred different species of this prolific flower in the garden and Ed knew all the details about their care. He dug up the tubers yearly, carefully washing and bleaching every one before squirreling them away for the next planting. Unable to care for the plants as Edward did, Karen donated many of the tubers to the Dahlia Society in his memory.
His Legacy
On March 11, 2012, Edward Henneman succumbed to pneumonia – a complication of lung cancer treatments. He was predeceased by his parents Carl Herbert and Hazel (Wesen); brothers Robert and Donald and sister Evelyn. He is survived by his wife Karen, sons Henry (Judy) and Bret (Cecilia), sister Irene Hambrick, brother Ralph (Mary), step brothers Dale and Larry Grass, and numerous nieces and nephews.
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