James D.Henson

James (Jim) D. Henson, age 91, of Wayne, NJ passed on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, with the comfort of his wife, Joan, by his side.

James was born in Detroit, MI to H. Lyle and Norma Henson where he graduated from Dearborn High School in 1952 having played football, ran track, and swam.

He continued his education at the University of Michigan and Wayne State University in Detroit where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering in 1958. He also worked for J. Hode Corporation while attending college.

During college, he met Joan Chiravelo to whom he presented his fraternity pin. Jim and Joan dated for several years, got engaged, and got married in 1956 just prior to Joan’s graduation from college.

Jim continued his education and work while they started a family with son, John, born in 1957 and son, David, born in 1959.

Jim continued working for J. Hode Corporation until 1965 when he took a position with Lone Star Industries in New York state where he worked as a civil engineer with extensive travel to Asia. At that time, Jim, Joan, and the boys relocated to Wayne, New Jersey.  

In 1982, his cement industry expertise took he and Joan to Strongsville, Ohio. In 1989, Jim and Joan returned to Michigan where he worked for Lafarge North America. He retired from Lafarge in 2008, but continued consulting for the cement industry for several additional years.

Jim’s real passion was community service at each of the churches he attended. In the late 1960s, Wayne Presbyterian Church (Wayne, New Jersey) held services at Wayne Valley High School. Jim’s engineering experience was instrumental when as he served as a Wayne Presbyterian Building Committee member to help create, finalize, and get the church built that currently resides at the corner of Alps and Ratzer Road. He also served as a session member and a senior high school Sunday school teacher at this church. Jim continued community service as the Treasurer of his church in Strongsville, Ohio. At the methodist church in Northville, Michigan, he was involved with the annual hosting of homeless persons for a week at the church. Jim was also involved in the Civic Concern of Northville that provided a food bank for the community.

Jim is survived by Joan, his loving wife of 69 years, his sons John and David, daughter in law’s Cindy and Anne, four beautiful grandchildren; Justin, Andrew, Nicholas and Lauren, and his precious great granddaughter, Cynthia (Thia) Henson.

Jim lived a loving and purposeful life and will be missed by all those who knew him.