Elwood Wayne Hennings

Elwood was born in Duluth, Minnesota on July 21, 1937, the seventh of ten children. As a young man, he loved roughhousing with his brothers, ice sledding on Lake Superior, and playing the bass in the Duluth Central High School orchestra. While in High School, he met and fell in love with Edna Hill. They were married in 1955, and Elwood joined the United States Navy, where he served for 24 years, principally in Naval Aviation. His duties took him all around the world and included international postings in Canada and Japan. A highlight of Elwood’s career was a four-year tour of duty on the USS Midway in Japan in the mid 1970’s, where he served as Maintenance Control Officer for VF-151, an F-4 Squadron.

While in the Navy, Elwood completed his BSEE at the Naval Post-graduate School. After retirement, he embarked on a second career as an Electrical Engineer. He earned two Master’s Degrees from Loyola University, and worked for several defense and aviation companies before retiring from Boeing in 2005.

Family and church were always central to Elwood. He became a Christian at an early age and served the Lord through singing, teaching Sunday School, and as a deacon. Elwood was gifted with a beautiful baritone voice and regularly led congregational singing, sang solos, and in church choirs. After he and Edna raised their sons, they chose to adopt and raise two additional generations of children, providing a Christian environment for them.

Those who knew Elwood, saw a man who lived out his Christian faith, whether at home, work, or play. He loved music, road trips, fishing, and home improvements, and was always ready with a word of advice, a joke, or a word of encouragement.

Elwood is survived by Edna, his wife of almost 62 years; eleven children: Dean Hennings, Mark Hennings, Melissa Modeen, Michelle Hennings, Maria Holder, Amanda Watt, Jennifer Cormier, Annette Zamudio, Breanna, Anne, and Isaiah Hennings; seventeen grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. In addition, he is survived by two sisters, Dolores Lindholm and Rachel Rice, and three brothers: David, Jerry, and Richard Hennings. Elwood was preceded in death by his parents, Marjorie and Gerald Hennings, by his eldest son, Wayne Gilbert Hennings, by two brothers, Irving and Donald, and two sisters, Lois Linder and Phyllis Sidwell.

Memorial donations may be made to the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society (www.nmcrs.org) or to Starwood Ranch (12690 Willow Road, Lakeside CA 92040).

Arrangements under the direction of EI Cajon Mortuary & Cremation Service, El Cajon, California.