Enrique Ceniceros

It is with deep sorrow we announce that after a long battle with cancer, Henry Ceniceros passed away on Monday, March 27, 2023, at his home in El Paso, Texas with his family by his side. He was 70 years old.

He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Caroline Ceniceros; son, Marcus Ceniceros of New York City; his two grandchildren Cooper and Harper; brothers and sisters-in law, nephews, and nieces.

He is preceded in death by his son, Matthew A. Ceniceros; father and mother, Abraham and Francisca Ceniceros; brothers and sisters, Graciela, Fernando, Abraham, Raquel, and Martha.

Mr. Ceniceros was born on November 5, 1952, in Ciudad Juárez, Mexico and was raised in El Paso. Henry graduated from Austin High School before joining the Air Force. After his basic training in Biloxi, Mississippi, he was stationed at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, from 1972 - 1976. Henry earned the rank of Staff Sergeant, a non-commissioned officer rank.

While serving his country, Henry was the first in his family to attend college. He graduated in 1978 with an Associates Degree in Applied Science, Physical Therapy Assistant from St. Phillip’s College in San Antonio. Then, he graduated with honors in 1984 with a Bachelor of Science, Physical Therapy from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Later, in 2019, Henry went on to earn a Doctorate in Physical Therapy (DPT) from the University of Incarnate Word in San Antonio.

After 14 years in San Antonio, Henry and Carol moved back to El Paso’s Eastside with their sons. Henry is best know in the community for treating thousands of people with disabilities, injuries, and diseases through the use of manual therapy and therapeutic exercises over the course of 34 years of practice as a physical therapist. Henry was a co-owner, executive officer, and clinical supervisor of El Paso Physical Therapy Services from 1986 - 2009. He would later become the founder and owner of Reaction Physical Therapy, Reaction Home Care Therapy, RXN Athletics, and Ceniceros Physical Therapy.

Henry also spent two years as the Supervisory Physical Therapist for the Fitness Operations at the Army Physical Fitness Research Institute Annex at the US Sergeants Major Academy, part of the US Army War College.

During his practice, Henry was a continuous learner that was always ahead of the curve in the newest techniques. He was extremely excited to bring those innovations to his patients. Henry helped to heal, train, and prepare high ranking military officers, Olympic athletes, and elite college athletes, but he put just as much effort towards treating teachers, grandparents, and people who just needed to feel better to get back to work or to their family.

He believed deeply in serving his community and that everyone should have access to movement at any age, even if they had an injury. He often said that machines don’t make you fit, you do. This is why any person that has spent time with Henry receiving therapy can say that he focused on you as a person. He wanted to know about your life, what you were trying to accomplish, and how you could take control of your own recovery.

Henry didn’t do this work alone. He trusted and believed in the countless young professionals that he mentored. Many of those that he worked with went on to become physical therapists, physical therapist assistants, nurse practitioners, doctors, or business owners and innovators themselves. Most importantly, they learned from Henry to practice with strong ethics and to treat their patients and colleagues well.

For the past 23 years, Henry was a patient himself. He first received a diagnosis of Hodgkins Lymphoma, a non-curable cancer, in 2000. He began treatment at the Texas Oncology Center in El Paso and later at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. The disease would then come back twice as non-Hodgkins Lymphoma in 2010 and 2016. His fourth and toughest bout was with pancreatic cancer, diagnosed in late 2022. His family has immense gratitude for the incredible care teams - the doctors, nurses, and support staff - that helped him through these difficult times.

Henry had a variety of interests that he would generously share with family and friends. He found great joy in visiting coffee shops, eating tasty treats, and making good coffee at home. Henry’s eclectic taste in music led to long conversations across generations and many playlists shared. He was also extremely fond of gardening in his back yard, most recently becoming a collector of beautiful cactus.

In his death, the world lost a great man with a beautiful heart and mind. He was a wonderful husband, father, son, brother, therapist and friend. We are all better for having known him.

A memorial service will be hosted on Monday, April 10 at 9:00am - 12pm at the Martin Funeral Home - East Chapel (1460 George Dieter Dr, El Paso, TX 79936), followed by services at the Ft. Bliss National Cemetery from 1:00 - 1:30pm.