Dr. John Harmon Henkel

Dr. John Harmon Henkel passed away on June 7th, 2022. Born in Kentwood, Louisiana on August 14th, 1924, he was the son of the late William Hatton Henkel and Margaret Gwendolyn Watson. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 60 years, Sara Ernestine Saucier Henkel, brothers: William Hatton Henkel, Reverend Claude Edward Henkel, sister, Margaret Ann Stafford, half brother, Eugene Ray Henkel, and daughters: Wendolyn Elizabeth Henkel, Sally Lee Henkel, Jenny Saucier Henkel, and Pamela Ann Henkel.

Dr. Henkel graduated from Baton Rouge High School in Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 1941 and then attended Southeastern Louisiana College for two years before entering Naval Aviation during World War II where he received his wings and commission as an Ensign in 1945. After serving in World War II, he entered Tulane University and received a B.S. degree in Physics in 1947 and a M.S. degree in Physics in 1948.

In 1948 he married Sara Ernestine Saucier whom he met while attending Tulane. He then went to work for three years at the Magnolia Petroleum Company Field Research Laboratory in Texas, after which he entered Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island where he subsequently received a Ph.D. in Physics. After attending Brown University, he returned to the Magnolia Petroleum Company for a short stay. In September of 1955 he accepted the position of Assistant Professor of Physics at the University of Georgia and 1959 and 1960 he was the recipient of a National Science Foundation Faculty Fellowship at Princeton University.

Dr. Henkel was a member of the Kiwanis Club of Athens for over 50 years, serving as the president in 1976. He was also a member of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and served as the Scout Master of a Boy Scout Troop sponsored by the Elks. He enjoyed golfing and was a member of Jennings Mill Country Club as well as Green Hills Country Club where he served on the Board of Directors and as the President of the Board on several occasions. Dr. Henkel was also a member of the First United Methodist Church and attended Sunday School regularly.

Dr. Henkel was an active member of the Georgia Academy of Science, serving as the President in 1968. In his association with the Georgia Academy of Science, he served as the Director of the 19th annual Georgia Science Fair in 1967. He was a member of the American Physics Society, the Society of Exploration Geophysicists, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science, of which he was a fellow of the scientific research society, Sigma Xi. He was listed in the Who’s Who in South and Southwest from 1978-1985 and in Who’s Who in America from 1980-1985.

Dr. Henkel served as the Graduate Coordinator in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Georgia from 1964-1973. From 1973-1974 he was a National Research Council Senior Resident Research Associate at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio. He served as acting head of the Department of Physics and Astronomy from 1975-1977. From 1977-1978 he served as a Program Manager in the Directorate of Physics for the Air Force Office of Scientific Research. As a University of Georgia faculty member, he was elected to serve on the University Council and served on many university committees such as the Faculty Affairs Committee and was a President’s Administrative Council Faculty Representative. Dr. Henkel retired from the University of Georgia in 1990.

He is survived by his daughter, Margaret Henkel Holden of Midlothian, Virginia and grandchildren: John Holden, David Holden, and April Rausch and by his son-in-law, Dave Beers.

Funeral services will be at the Oconee Hill Cemetery, on Tuesday, June 14th, at 10:00am. The family will greet friends at the cemetery following the service.

Bernstein Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.