William Leslie Henson,

William Leslie Henson, Sr. was born in the seaside town of Margate, England on April 20, 1909. He attended school in Margate during World War I. In 1917 he moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba with his family and to Toronto, Ontario in 1921 where he went to Central Technical School. Two years later they moved to Seattle, the town where the Smith Tower was the tallest building west of the Mississippi. He attended Broadway High School, which is now Seattle Central Community College.

During the depression when bricklaying jobs were scarce, Henson joined the ‘school of hard knocks’ by working at anything he could pick up. This included stints at a candy company, the PI, being a janitor, and stringing tennis rackets for Eddie Bauer. He and his brother Harry would perform in local theatres for bags of food, reciting Robert Service poetry and singing songs. At age 17 he began a bricklaying apprenticeship with his father. In 1932, Henson and his dad worked side by side in the first of many masonry companies under the family name. His long career in the masonry trade helped build young Seattle into the metropolitan city that it is today. The firm is now a fourth generation company.

His jobs include The Grosvenor House, City Hall, Bon Marche now Macy’s, Norton Building, IBM Building, Seattle Library, Safeco, the first section of SeaTac Airport then called Boe Lake, Nordstroms, Bellevue Square, the Space Needle, McKenzie Building in Fremont, several buildings on University of Washington campus, and many churches. One of his first jobs as an apprentice was on the original Olympic Hotel. Years later the renovation of the Four Seasons Olympic was his final job where he delighted in teaching seasoned bricklayers how to properly cut the Italian marble.

In addition to Washington State, Henson’s brickwork is found in Alaska, Hawaii, Idaho, and Oregon. His work includes countless hospitals, retail buildings, churches, post offices, and his favorite, the Fisheries Building at the UW. In 2002, Henson was asked to return to the Veteran’s Hospital now Pacific Medical Center to set the last two pieces of terra cotta for that renovation. He has been a member of BM&PIU Bricklayers Union since 1927 and of the Masonry Contractor Association since 1937. In December 2007 Henson was awarded his 80 year pin and jacket in the Bricklayers Local #1, being the only person to receive this honor in the nation.

Les married first wife Mary in 1934, and together they had William L. “Bill” Henson, Jr, and Lesley Mary Henson Ufer. He and second wife Cecelia “Ann” had three children, Margaret Ann “Margo”, Celia “Jane” and Kathryn Beth “Heidi.” He is survived by his wife, Ann, all five children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and countless nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and many generations of bricklayers, hod carriers, business associates, and his dog.

Since retiring, our “Mr. Brick” kept busy cutting wood, gardening, laying brick around the house, playing with his dog and loving his family. His big blue truck would carry him down to Magnolia Village for shopping, to hug the ladies at Bartells, visit his banker for hours at Keybank or to have a “burger” at Subway. He never slowed down.

Henson died peacefully at his home on January 22, 2008 at 9:26 p.m. with his family at his side. The last days of his life were spent loving, laughing and joking with friends, neighbors and family. His amazing spirit and joy of life was unique and cherished by everyone who knew him, including neighborhood children who came to the door and asked, “Can Mr. Henson come out to play'” Henson’s life was like his brickwork, orderly, creative, putting one brick next to another, enjoying each moment as he built a monument to a life well lived. The tapestry of people who knew him is as varied as the jobs he worked on, all built on the same foundation: Living and loving life to the fullest!

In lieu of flowers memorials are suggested to The Michael Ufer Program for Academic Success, Bishop Blanchet High School, 8200 Wallingford Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98103, Attn: Amy Hall. This program was established in memory of his grandson, Michael.

Services will be held Saturday, February 2nd at 12:00 noon - Evergreen Washelli, 11111 Aurora Avenue North, Seattle, Washington.