John Steven Henry

John was an adventurous child, causing mischief with, and without, his sisters. He spent a great amount of time adventuring in the desert and introducing his family to the wildlife he would bring home. He was also a devoted husband, caring father, and a loving, playful grandparent.

He earned a degree in chemistry at University of Texas in El Paso. John joined the Air Force in September of 1974 and served in Texas, California, Alaska, Missouri, Colorado, and New Mexico. During his service he met his wife Cindra and they had three sons, David, Thomas, and Tyler. Some of his duties included tracking Russian missile launches, monitoring missile launch facilities, coordinating with NASA during space shuttle missions, and working in the 4th Space Warning Squadron. While serving in the Air Force he earned a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Missouri in Columbia. He retired from the military as a Major in June of 1994.

After retirement from the military, John acquired a library science degree at the University of North Texas in Denton. He moved to his new home in Rogers, Arkansas, to work at the Rogers Public Library in February 1996. For years John would help library patrons find their books, answer their questions, and help however he could. He spent long hours updating, maintaining, and improving the library's computer systems. Periodically John would create displays at the library for the public to enjoy. He retired from the library in May 2018.

John enjoyed many hobbies throughout his life. From an early age he became fascinated with the world of comic books, and this began a lifelong hobby of comic collecting. He and his father were loyal fans of the Houston Astros no matter their record and closely followed the career of Nolan Ryan. He was interested in music and played in the marching band in high school and in a handbell choir at Grace United Methodist Church. He learned from his children the hobbies of board gaming and writing. He turned the sensation of Harry Potter into a hobby, which also led to his love of Legos. He enjoyed traveling, hiking, and watching birds with his wife.

John is preceded in death by: his sister, Elaine Shallenberger; and his father, Richard Henry. He is survived by: His wife, Cindra; His three sons, David, Thomas, and Tyler; his five grandchildren, Clara, Alice, Lillian, Ira, and Walter; his sister, Cindy Fleming, and mother, Nelda Cardwell.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Rogers Library, https://rpl.foundation/donate/ or to the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank, https://nwafoodbank.org