Kim Patrick Henry

Kim was born and raised in southwest Denver. He was the second of four children. His younger brother Raymond died when Kim was thirty-one. Kim's dad, Raymond Barnes Henry, Jr., was a police officer with the Denver PD and his mom, Ramona Belle (Rosiere) Henry was a homemaker. Kim grew up with extended family nearby with two aunts, Sandy Baker and Gloria Huff, and their families as well as his grandparents. Kim graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School and entered the Army right after graduating (1975-1979). He served as a military policeman at Ft. Greeley in Alaska and made lifelong friends with whom he kept in touch.

Kim and Sally (Dean) met while working as directory assistance operators at the phone company in March 1982. She was five months pregnant. Kim thought the pregnant girl was really cute, but thought she was taken. Sally made sure her friend informed him she was not! They went on their first date on April Fool's Day (ironically) and they got married on July 10th in the garden at Arvada Presbyterian Church with family, a mere three months later. When they married Sally was eight months pregnant. Kim always told Sally that he wasn't praying for a wife, he was praying for a family - and that's what he got. Just under a month after they were married Sarah was born. And a month after that they had a big church wedding with family and friends. Almost three years later Sean came along.

Their marriage wasn't an easy one. They obviously barely knew each other when they got married, but over the years they learned and they grew A LOT. Even in the last year they were still working on how to love each other well - they both were sensitive, a bit headstrong, and still not being as vulnerable and as trusting with each other as they'd like to be. Forty-two years and they were still working at it.

But there were definitely more good times than hard ones. The best thing they ever did was move to Grand Junction from Arvada. It forced them to cling to each other instead of their families and it really started them down the road of building their OWN life. And a few years later they really began to have their own faiths as well.

Kim always put his family first and himself last. He worked hard to support them so Sally could quit her job and stay home with the kids. That is how they both were raised and they wanted that for their own kids. It meant a big sacrifice financially, but they thought their kids were worth it. They later homeschooled and a year of that time Kim was working in the Gunnison and Crested Butte areas doing phone installation and repair. They thought they were going to move there, but God had other plans.

Other adventures included diving into youth ministry, buying a peach orchard with Sally's sister Ellen (Wilson) and her husband Bob, and selling it all so they could move to Pittsburgh and Sally could attend seminary. They were couch surfing after graduation for around nine months with various family members in FL and CO before Sally received a call from a small church in NC. While there Kim completed his education and received a B.A. in Geography from Fayetteville State University/UNC, an HBCU. Wanting to return to CO, Sally took a job with Rocky Mtn. Health Plans/UHC in Montrose and Kim got a job with a small grower - and he and Emma the dog did a lot of fishing as well. (Sally and Kim had made a deal that he would support them for the first half and Sally would support them the second half - surprisingly it actually turned out that way.) They eventually moved back to GJ in 2018.

In 2019, Sally had to stop driving because of her failing vision and later that spring Kim was diagnosed with spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA). Later that year Sean and Megan suggested that they all consider the idea of building a small house behind theirs and in early 2020 they did, and moved in Easter weekend of 2020 - right at the beginning of Covid.

Kim's SCA progressed and later that year he quit driving as well. They were so thankful to be in their small house in the center of town with support from family and friends so close by. (They even made the cover of the Beacon newspaper!) Kim loved sitting out on his scooter in the morning sunshine greeting the walkers and neighbors especially those with their dogs as they walked by. It was a ministry for him and he prayed for each person (and their dog) who passed. Eventually, he had regulars who would stop by to chat for a bit, and if Kim wasn't out front they'd peek over the back fence to see if he was sitting on the back patio. After Covid, they decided to start a small house church that still meets every two weeks. It was a way for Kim to worship in person and for Sally to use her gifts in ministry. That group of people has been their worshipping community, their support system, and simply amazing friends to them.

Many times Kim felt guilty for not being able to contribute to running the household or helping with the kids' lawn care as he used to do. But their family kept reminding him that our worth is not dependent on what we contribute or are able to do. Simply BEING is enough. In the last year or two especially, Kim was frustrated with how often he felt pretty crappy and numerous times shared that if he could leave this life he would, as his days of feeling bad kept increasing. While we already miss Kim terribly, we are also glad that he's no longer suffering in the hospital or sitting miserably at home. We celebrate that he was able to be a donor so others may be helped. And we also celebrate the many lives that Kim touched and that touched him. To love and to be loved. Kim did both well.

Survivors include Kim's wife Sally,, daughter Sarah Saturno (Anthony), son Sean (Megan), grandsons Rilo Nachman, Rocco Saturno and Vito Saturno, sisters Monarae Hobart and Lois Henry. Kim's extended family included Sally's sisters Ellen Wilson and LeeAnne Unruh along with his nieces and nephews Alex VanMeter (Brittany), Samantha McSweeney (Chris), Charlie VanMeter (Celeese), and Ally Wilson. Kim was predeceased by his parents, Raymond Barnes Henry, Jr. and Ramona Belle (Rosiere) Henry as well as his brother Raymond Barnes Henry III. Kim's family and friends will always remember his constant smile.

A memorial service was held for Kim on November 12, 2024, at First Presbyterian Church in Grand Junction, CO. A GoFundMe account was set up for Sally to help cover travel/food expenses for family and medical expenses.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-henrys-the-most-helpful-people-in-need-of-some-help