Donald Owen Henry

Donald Owen Henry, beloved father, grandfather, husband and respected educator and scholar passed unexpectedly on March 15^th. Don was born on November 25^th,1945 in Dallas Texas. Son of Owen Henry and Elizabeth Katherine Henry. Don is survived by his wife Nancy Henry and three sons, Heath, Matt, and Zach and 3 granddaughters Elena, Ana, and Angelee Henry. Donald Henry was Professor Emeritus at The University of Tulsa where he taught Anthropology and Archaeology for 40 years. He was an internationally renowned researcher in Near Eastern Archaeology having published numerous books and scientific articles regarding the origins of agriculture and Neanderthal man. Don contributed significantly to the understanding of the prehistory of Oklahoma and received a citation of merit for State History Preservation in 1992. He was the recipient of numerous research grants from the National Science Foundation, National Endowment for the Humanities and National Geographic which allowed him to conduct research and archaeological field schools in south Jordan’s Wadi Rum. His research shaped the study of the Neolithic in south Jordan, Israel, and the Near East. He will be greatly missed by the international archaeological community. Don worked for over 40 years in south Jordan his research led to the establishment of Jordanian National Site Ayn Abu Nukhayla. Don was known fondly as “Dr. Don” by the local Bedouin.

Don was the embodiment of the Renaissance man and had multiple interests and talents. He was a collegiate basketball player for Trinity Community College and Southern Methodist University. He had a love of the game and played with friends and colleagues up until his retirement. He enjoyed cheering on the Dallas Mavericks, Dallas Cowboys, and the Golden Hurricane. He was an amateur architect and engineer who designed and remodeled several of his homes and a family cabin nestled in the backcountry of the San Juans. Don not only designed these projects but actively remodeled, rewired and replumbed his homes. He was additionally a skilled landscaper, dry stack mason and gardener taking great pride and effort creating terraces and seasonal gardens wherever he resided. He was very proud of his family’s farming and ranching heritage and owned and managed “Split Cedar” cattle ranch in Chewey, Oklahoma for several years.  Don loved hiking, camping, sailing and cross-country skiing with his wife and family, particularly in the San Juan mountains of southern Colorado, where he retired in 2015 just outside of Durango. He instilled his sons and granddaughters with a love of the mountains and nature and will be remembered with each viewing of the majestic peaks, forests, and streams of the Weminuche Wilderness. Don had a wry and mischievous sense of humor that he shared with a sly smile and winking grin. His departure leaves a space in this world that cannot be filled and is keenly felt by family, friends, and colleagues from around the globe.  إِنَّا لِلَّهِ وَإِنَّا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعُونَ  “Indeed we belong to God and to Him we will return.”   A celebration of life gathering is being planned and an announcement of the details will be made in the near future.