Laverne Henson Obituary

Laverne Arvin "Pete" Henson

Sep 24, 1932 - Dec 22, 2022

Nova

Laverne Arvin Henson, known as Pete, was born Sept. 24, 1932, to Fred and Mildred Standen Henson in Brownhelm Township, Lorain County, Ohio. He was a member of the Boy Scouts in Vermilion on the Lake and Milan chapters. He graduated from Milan High School in 1952 and was active in FFA all four years, winning local, district, and state medals in extemporaneous speaking contests. Prior to graduating, he enlisted in the service becoming a Navy Hospital Corpsman stationed in Korea. During his military career, he was the recipient of Defense Service Medal, Purple Heart, and United Nations Korea Medal. Upon honorable medical discharge from U.S. Navy, he was employed as a Machine Set-Up Operator for New Departure- General Motors plant in Sandusky for 30 years, retiring in 1982.

Pete also served as a mounted deputy with Erie County Sheriffs department for seven years.

He continued to live at home, running the family farm until marrying LaDonna Snyder from New London on Aug. 7, 1966. Together, they owned and operated Briarwood Valley Farms, a rabbit processing plant, located in Sullivan, for 53 years. It was discontinued in 2021.

Together, Pete and LaDonna traveled to 49 of the 50 States, six of the Canadian Proveniences, Israel, Germany, Austria, France, and cruised to Hawaii twice, Alaska, Tahiti, through the Panama Canal from west coast to east coast and ports in between in the Central American countries.

During their business years, they delivered meat and biomedicals from Connecticut and Florida to Michigan and St. Louis and Texas.

Pete was very active with Civil War reenactment and was an expert on artillery, holding national certification in Civil War artillery. They attended many reenactments including Tiffin Days, Lime Village Days, and Angola IN, Days and attended an Eastern Primitive Rendezvous at Schroon Lake, New York in 1976. They attended several outdoor living history theaters, Ozarks, Shepherd of the Hills a passion play, Tecumseh, Trumpet in the Land at Schoenbrunn village, and at one time, had a store in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. He was passionate about Native American history, was a sub-chief of the Indians 7 nations, and taught Native American Sign Language.

One of Pete's biggest passions was flying in his yellow J3 Piper Cub. He also enjoyed boating on Lake Erie as well as painting. Pete was commissioned to paint the PT 109 by one of the members who survived its sinking. He dabbled in racing at Sandusky Speedway, four-wheeling in his CJ 5 Jeep, was a member of Rochester United Methodist church, and Rochester Historical Society, competed in western fast draw competitions, and loved to play the lap steel guitar. Pete was active with International Lions Club in the Sullivan and Nova chapters for 25 years.

He was preceded in death by his mother in 1991; father in 1967; older sister, Lois; and sister, Eileen.

Pete is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, LaDonna; brothers, Carl (Sheila) Henson of Sandusky and Dewayne (Tracie) Henson of Oak Harbor; several nieces and nephews; and several great-nieces and great-nephews and great-great-nieces and great-great-nephews.

Friends and family will be received at 11 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 29, 2022, until the time of Pete's services at 1 p.m. at Eastman Funeral Home, 200 West Main Street, New London. Burial will follow at Nova Cemetery.

Expressions of sympathy may be shared online at www.eastmanfuneralhome.com.