Derrell C. Henry

Derrell Collin Henry, age 87 a loving husband, father and grandfather died Sunday, October 15, 2006 at home following a prolonged illness. For many years, he was a respected member of the Texas Banking industry and influenced the careers of many young bankers across Texas. He was born in Floyd County Texas September 12, 1919 to Melvin and Bessie (Gregory) Henry, graduated from Crosbyton High School in 1936 and lived in Texas his entire life with the exception of his military service during World War II. Following graduation he worked as Administrative Officer for the U.S. Department of Agriculture and married Exie Lee Henry, the love of his life, on October 12, 1940 prior to joining the Army Air Force. During the war, he was assigned to the Budget and Fiscal Division, 33rd Statistical Control Unit attached to the 20th Air Force both domestically and overseas and was Honorably Discharged with the rank of Technical Sergeant in February, 1946. Following his military service, he returned to Texas and served as Assistant Secretary Treasurer of the Memphis and Lubbock Production Credit Associations before beginning his banking career by joining the American National Bank of Amarillo as Vice President and Director in 1950. In 1960, he moved to Odessa, Texas where he became Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of the American Bank of Commerce (later to become the American Bank and finally Texas Commerce Bank) until he retired in 1984. In Odessa, he became active in civic and community service. Following retirement, he moved to his beloved Lakeway and worked as a Membership Consultant for the American Bankers Association and as Chairman of the Board of the Oak Hill National Bank, Austin, Texas. He was a member of The Lakeway Church, Lakeway, Texas and Hyde Park Baptist Church, Austin. Derrell served as President of the Texas Bankers Association; a principal organizer and Chairman of the Board of the Permian Bank and Trust, Odessa, Texas; director and President of the Texas Association of Bank Holding Companies; Executive Council Member of the American Bankers Association, Washington, D.C.; Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Association of State Chartered Banks Educational Fund; and as an advisor to the Conference of State Bank Supervisors in Washington, D.C. His civic involvement included service as President of the Odessa Chamber of Commerce in 1966 and as a director for over 20 years; Director of the Permian Basin Oil Show; Director of the Sandhills Hereford and Quarterhorse Show; Vice Chairman of the Medical Center Hospital Development Corporation; Chairman of the Board of the Odessa Industrial Development Corporation; President of the Odessa Community Chest and United Fund; Director of the Odessa Family YMCA; Board Chairman of the Salvation Army - Odessa; Director of the Permian Basin Petroleum Museum - Odessa; Member of the President's Council of the University of Texas of the Permian Basin; Chairman of the Board of Adjustment - Village of Lakeway; Chairman of the Convention Study Committee - Village of Lakeway; and President and 8th District Governor of the National Association of American Business Clubs. He was a Master Mason. He was preceded in death by Exie Lee Henry, his loving wife of 62 years, a daughter, Brenda Lee Henry, his parents and two brothers, Clay Henry and Trent Rayburn Henry. He is survived by his son, Ronnie and his wife Carolyn of Lakeway; his sister, Geraldine Strickland of Lubbock, Texas; two grandchildren and four great grandchildren. The family would like to express their appreciation to the following for their loving care of Derrell, Les Witcher, Bill Bergstrom, and Teresa Jacobs Visitation will be from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, October 17th at Weed-Corley-Fish Funeral Home. Services will be held at 2:30 p.m., Wednesday, October 18, 2006 at The Lakeway Church followed by interment at Forest Oaks Memorial Park. In lieu of flowers, please make memorial contributions to Hospice of Austin, 4107 Springs Rd., Suite 100, Austin, TX 78759; The Lakeway Church, 2203 Lakeway Blvd., Lakeway, TX 78734; or Hyde Park Baptist Church, 3901 Speedway, Austin, TX 78751. Obituary and guestbook online at wcfish.com