Darrell Henderson

Memorial Service for Darrell Henderson will be Thursday, December 12, 2019 at 10:30 a.m. at the Hettinger Lutheran Church.  Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 11 at the Centennial Chapel of Evanson Jensen Funeral Home in Hettinger, followed by a gathering of family and friends at 7:00 p.m.

Darrell Henderson was born in Hettinger, North Dakota on September 18, 1938. He was the youngest of four children born to Kenneth and Emma (Ingalls) Henderson. On Thursday, December 5, 2019, with his beloved wife by his side, Darrell passed peacefully from this life at the West River Regional Medical Center in Hettinger. He was 81.

Darrell was raised on a cattle ranch near Lodgepole, South Dakota. Darrell loved life as a ranch kid, working with cattle and exploring the hills on horseback. In his early years, he also began to cultivate a love of baseball that would last a lifetime. Darrell attended Lodgepole Country School and then Hettinger High School, graduating in 1956. Following high school, Darrell continued his education at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, where he received a degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1960.

On August 14, 1960, Darrell was married to Jeanne (Morgen) Henderson. Darrell and Jeanne met in 1959, while Darrell was playing in a baseball game at Gala Days in Bison, South Dakota. Their marriage would span more than 59 wonderful years. They had three children together: Pamela, Wade, and Michael. While Darrell was a man of many achievements, his devotion to Jeanne and his children defined who he was as a man.  

In 1960, Darrell embarked on the first of several careers when he began employment as an engineer with the Boeing Company. At Boeing, he was involved in the installation and testing of the Minuteman Missile defense system. While Darrell loved the challenges of his work with Boeing, he remained a ranch kid at heart. In 1973, it led him back to Lodgepole, where he purchased the family ranch from his father. Darrell ranched full time until 1984, when he once again changed paths and accepted a position as General Manager of West River Cooperative Telephone Company and Grand Electric Cooperative in Bison, South Dakota. He truly enjoyed the challenge of staying on top of the rapidly changing dynamics of two different utility industries. In 1989, he played a pivotal role in the establishment of SDN Communications, a cooperative venture of independent telephone companies. Darrell served as President of SDN’s Board of Directors from 1997 through 2001. In 2005, Darrell was inducted into the South Dakota Cooperative Hall of Fame.

Darrell retired in 2001. He and Jeanne made their retirement home in Hettinger, where they joined Hettinger Lutheran Church. Darrell remained active in community projects until his health limited his ability to do so. A warm and generous man, Darrell cherished the opportunity to watch his grandsons grow up and to attend their activities. He enjoyed checking cattle at the ranch, horseback riding, doing yardwork, and going to coffee with friends. A lifelong sports fan, Darrell followed the New York Yankees and the Green Bay Packers. 

Grateful for having shared his life are his wife Jeanne, daughter Pamela (John) Hericks of Eden Prairie MN, son Wade (Lisa) Henderson of Lodgepole SD, son Michael (Christa) Henderson of Sioux Falls SD, grandsons Jamie (Kira) Henderson of Lodgepole SD, Jordan Henderson of Los Angeles CA, Matthew (Alexandra Olson) Hericks of Minneapolis MN, Jeremy Hericks of Plymouth MN, Evan and Samuel Henderson of Sioux Falls SD, and great-grandsons Paxton and Kellen Henderson of Lodgepole SD.

Darrell was preceded in death by his father Kenneth, mother Emma, brother and sister-in-law Dennis and Marie Henderson, sister and brother-in-law Janice and Herb Neirman, sister Karen Mensing, sister-in-law Janet (Morgen) Gordon, brother-in-law Harley Olson, and niece Cynthia (Neirman) Srisuwan.

Condolences to Darrell’s family can be sent through our website at www.evansonjensenfuneralhome.com