Arthur "Art" Dimmitt Henderson

Art, lovingly known as “Sonny” to his Kentucky family, was born on March 17, 1944, in Pineville, Kentucky, to Hilbreth and Ada Henderson. The majority of his childhood was spent on a farm near Mays Lick, Kentucky, where he learned the importance of hard work, faith in God, and perseverance. Art graduated from Mason County High School, where he was accomplished both academically and in speech and debate. In addition to his duties on the farm, Art worked through high school as an evening disc jockey on WFTM-AM. Art earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the University of Kentucky and went on to earn a Master of Business Administration from Purdue University. Art’s professional education also included degrees in Spanish and Latin Culture from the Thunderbird Graduate School of International Management. Art won multiple awards as both an undergraduate and graduate student for leadership and academic excellence. His lifelong love of Latin America began after he received a post-grad fellowship to study the petrochemical industry in Central and South America. He chronicled his experiences abroad in vivid detail through frequent letters home to his parents and younger brother. Art briefly worked for DuPont and Corning Glass before taking a position with Exxon Chemical.

Art began his career with Exxon as Financial Manager for the Baton Rouge Chemical Plant in 1968. While in Baton Rouge, he met his future wife, Alice Maria Harris. Following their marriage, Art and Alice spent eleven adventure-filled years overseas, first in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where their daughter Kristin was born, followed by Brussels, Belgium, and their daughter Katrina, before ultimately settling in Houston.

Art held numerous positions with Exxon over thirty-five years, where he made many close and long-lasting friendships. His roles included Head of Business Analysis and Accounting for the European Region, Marketing Manager for the Solvents business, General Manager for Latin America Paramins, positions of either President or Vice President of various Latin affiliates and Exxon Chemical’s worldwide trading company, Director of Marketing for Paramins, and Business Director of the Performance Fluids Division. Additionally, Art served as Chairman of the Worldwide Marketing Quality Council, covering all global chemical marketing processes. Art concluded his career as Manager for North and South America Liquid Chemicals.

Art was a member of St. Peter’s United Methodist Church, Exxon Mobil’s Retiree Club, the Houston World Affairs Council, the Chemical Industry Founders Club, the Chemical Heritage Foundation, and lifetime member of the University of Kentucky Alumni Association. In 2009, he was inducted into the Mason County Alumni Association Hall of Fame. Art loved travel and adventure, visiting 87 countries over his lifetime, many of them with Alice. He enjoyed active sports of all kinds, gardening, collecting insects and minerals, and spending time with family in Houston, Louisiana, or at the family farm near Lexington, Kentucky.

In 2015, a bicycle accident left Art paralyzed from the neck down. He faced this challenge with grace, positivity, and fortitude. His family will be forever grateful to the devoted nurses who cared for him at home in the years following his accident, as well as his doctors and therapists at TIRR Memorial Hermann. The family is thankful for the additional time they had with Art because of their steadfast care.

Art is preceded in death by his loving wife, Alice Harris Henderson; his parents, Ada and Hilbreth Henderson; his mother and father-in-law, Mary Alice and Sulcer Allen Harris, Sr.; his brothers-in-law, Sulcer Allen Harris, Jr. and John Jude Harris; and his nephew, Greg Henderson. He is survived by his daughters, Kristin Henderson Leavell and husband David of Austin, Texas, and Katrina Henderson Lueckenhoff and husband Matthew of Houston, Texas. He is also survived by his four grandchildren, David Arthur and Mary Alice Leavell and George Harris and Alice Louise Lueckenhoff, who will miss their “Papa Art” dearly. He is further survived by his brother, Robert Henderson and wife Martha of Lexington, Kentucky; his sisters-in-law Ann Harris and Laura Harris; brother-in-law Larry Harris and wife Kelley, all of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; his sister-in-law Mary Rita Harris Cruz and husband Oscar of St. Louis, Missouri; and many beloved nieces and nephews.

Art loved his family more than anything and will be remembered for his kindness and unwavering generosity.

A visitation will be held on Thursday, May 1 from 5pm-8pm at Memorial Oaks Funeral Home, 13001 Katy Freeway, Houston. A Memorial Service will be held on Friday, May 2 10:30am at St. Peter’s United Methodist Church, 20775 Kingsland Blvd., Katy, TX.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Memorial Hermann online at www.memorialhermann.org/donate, by mail to 929 Gessner, Suite 2650, Houston, TX 77024, or by phone at (713) 242-4400. Please designate TIRR Memorial Hermann when making a donation.