Robert Carlton Henning

they named Robert Carlton. Eight and a half years later Bob's family grew to include sister Nancy and in

another two years sister Janis. Robert attended Elim Evangelical Free Church located on the Southside

with his family for the duration of his childhood. Robert spent his entire life living in the Chicago area

except during his deployment with the Army.

After graduation from high school Robert attended Illinois Institute of Technology for one year. Like

most young men of his time World War II interrupted any personal plans. He enlisted into the army and

was assigned to the 1966 Service Command Unit where he became a surgical technician. His first stop

was Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Washington D.C..

While in D.C. He began attending a little church established by a group of Swedish Covenant and Free

Church young people away from home. One evening when some friends went roller skating they set

Robert up with a gal from the church whose name was Violet Olson. Their interest in each other

continued by correspondence while Bob was deployed by the Army to a war hospital in London where

he served in the surgery unit as a technician. After a five year courtship they were married at Bethany

Free Church in Madison. The new couple moved to an apartment near East 91st St and Indiana Ave in

Chicago where their first two children, Stuart and Candace were born.

Bob apprenticed as a carpenter earning his journeyman ring in 1947. Early on as a child he had an eye

for exactness. For example, Robert rearranged the clothing in his dresser drawers if his mother had not

folded and place them exactly the way they should be in his mind. Strengths and weakness are not far

apart as was illustrated by his measuring the distance of furniture from the wall in their home. This

became a positive trait in his career as a carpenter because he built all things well.

He and his father started a carpentry business they called C & R Henning Construction. In1956 while

their construction company was building a spec house, Bob also built a house that he and Violet would

make their first home. Here they added a son whom they named Scott. 4708 West 99th Street in Oak

Lawn would be the early years family home.

Robert continued to work as a carpenter. But as soon as he got home from work in the evenings, he

would shower and put on dress clothes usually including a tie before dinner even if there was nowhere

to go.

Elim church had relocated to Oak Lawn Illinois so the Bob Henning family continued to make that

church their spiritual home. There Bob was a deacon, enjoyed singing in the choir, being an usher and

serving as a member of the building committee. But above all Robert was an avid supporter of world

mission and throughout his life supported mission agencies. He expressed his commitment to faith in

Christ most tangibly by generously giving of his income to the church and world mission causes.

Because Bob was so outgoing, the Henning's were known as the last family to leave the church.

Bob didn't really have any hobbies, but he did like his new cars for which he always paid for in cash. His

cars from the white wall tires to the dashboard were always immaculate. Needless to say, eating in the

car was completely out of the question.

Sunday afternoons were often spent visiting model homes all over Chicagoland, a family affair. Robert

was gathering ideas for the Colonial dream home he would build someday. The dream became a reality

when he found an empty lot in the Naperville township. In 1968 construction began. The family moved

in after nine months, but a regular job slowed progress and completion.

In 1970 Bob injured his back on a carpentry job. Although he was out of work, he lived his conviction as

a political conservative so he never applied for unemployment. Instead he took a job at Marshall Fields

in the Fox Valley Mall where he first sold clothing and later furniture.

In Naperville the Hennings attended the Evangelical Free Church where Robert served as a deacon,

usher and designed and build the alter wall in the sanctuary. Robert insisted that his family did not

neglect attending church on Sunday, there were no exceptions.

In 2002 Bob took the initiative to start and lead a Mayors Prayer Breakfast in Naperville. Something he

led until 2004 and has continued to the present. He received the Mayor's Award for all his efforts.

In 2005 Robert and Violet decided it was time to give up their large Naperville home. The two of them

moved to a duplex at Fairhaven Christian Retirement Center in Rockford. Quickly they decided to make

First Evangelical Free Church their spiritual home. Bob served there for many years as a greeter.

Additionally the Evangelical Free Church began a mission supply organization. With his carpentry skills

Bob quickly became important as they moved into an old building in Rockford that required quite a lot

of renovation.

When he was 88 an example of continued spiritual growth as a follower of Christ Bob chose to be

baptized. Robert loved music and often teared up as he was moved at the sound.

In January of 2016 Bob was hospitalized with double pneumonia from which he never fully recovered.

In August Bob and Vi moved again from their beloved duplex to an apartment at Fairhaven.

In January dad moved to supportive care, he was torn apart emotionally being separated from his wife

of 69 years. After his sweetheart died on April 30,2017, one week to the day, on May 7 Robert was

taken to the hospital. When the ER Doctor learned that his wife had just died, she said, “he was

shutting down.” I suppose one might say, “He died of a broken heart.”

Graveside service to celebrate Robert's life will be Thursday May 11, 2017 at 11:30 am at Willwood Burial Park 7000 West State St. in Rockford. Military Honors will be conducted by the U. S. Army.