William H. "Bill" Henthorn

William H. Henthorn, 84, of Mt. Pleasant, IA, died Thursday, October 2, 2008, at the Henry County Health Center. Visitation will be held from 12:00 - 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 5, 2008, at the Olson - Powell Memorial Chapel, where the family will receive friends from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. Sunday afternoon. Funeral services will be held Monday, October 6, 2008, at 10:00 a.m. at the Olson - Powell Memorial Chapel with Pastors Titus Boggs and Nathan Martin officiating. Burial will be in the Salem East Cemetery. Memorials have been established to the Grace Community Friends Church and the Salem Friends Church. Bill was born April 22, 1924, to William E. and Eva M. (Rieke) Henthorn at home in Burlington, Iowa. Bill grew up in the German neighborhoods of Burlington and attended Oak Street Baptist Church, which his great great-grandfather helped found in 1867. He accepted Christ Jesus' salvation and lordship and spent a lifetime memorizing scripture and serving as a deacon, choir tenor and adult Sunday School teacher. Bill graduated from Burlington High School early and immediately enlisted in the Army Air Corps in March, 1943, serving as a corporal aircraft instrument mechanic in Ondal and Calcutta, India, supporting the fighting in the China-Burma-India Theatre. After the war, Bill became a machinist at the CBQ Shops. He also worked at J.I. Case, the Iowa Ordinance Plant as a machinist, Sears, and Montgomery Ward in commercial sales; retiring from Exide in 1986. He was a former member of the UAW, holding several offices and was a member of the American Legion Post of Salem, IA. Besides Oak Street Baptist of Burlington and Salem Friends, he was a member of the Grace Community Friends Church of Mt. Pleasant. He married Helen Long on March 6, 1981, and resided in Salem before moving to Mt. Pleasant, IA. He enjoyed reading, geography, drawing architectural home plans and conversing with anyone available. He was a loved and loving husband, father and grandfather. His humor and laughter will be missed by all. Survivors include his wife, Helen of Mt. Pleasant, IA; two daughters, Cynthia Joy (James) Hail of Coeur d'Alene, ID; Mary (David) Houtz of Middletown, IA; and one son, Mark (Ann) Henthorn of Muscatine, IA; two daughters by marriage, Karen (Terry) Duncan of Nairobi, Kenya; and Debbie (Titus) Boggs of Harlan, KY.; seventeen grandchildren: Eric, Jennifer, Robbie, Jonathan, Brent, Jim, Elizabeth, Nathan, Gina, Teresa, Tiana, Hannah, Will, Stephanie, Erica, Lacey, Taylor; and four great-grandchildren: Zachary, Zoey, Daniel and Drew. He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers Willis and Everett.