Wilbur Henry
Wilbur Henry
“The Gentle Giant”
(1959-2005)
(by David Kraynik and Frank Michael D’Amore)
He arrived in our lives as a larger-than-life figure—literally and figuratively. Wilbur’s commanding presence immediately captured our attention when he became a student at St. John’s. We were captivated by this man-child, whether it entailed craning our necks to say hello as he towered over us when walking the halls or when we watched as he tried to wedge himself into those cramped desks. What ultimately bonded us to him, though, was his enormous heart, which dwarfed his physical dimensions.
Wilbur grew up on Phipps Avenue, just a few blocks from an array of sports fields and basketball courts. He was a gifted athlete, whose coordination, extraordinary physical gifts, and determination made him a compelling figure in all sports. We first saw this on the football field, as Wilbur not only played tight end and was a defensive stalwart, but also had the agility and touch to be our place kicker. Many of us fondly remember him blasting an extra point kick that sailed through the goal posts, over a fence, down a hill, and into a nearby pond.
Wilbur also excelled on the basketball court, as he teamed with Rodney Basketbill to provide a 1-2 punch that was second to none. Wilbur owned the backboard, and patrolled the lane fearlessly, as he snagged many rebounds and swatted away numerous shots. He was our stabilizing force, especially in the biggest games, as his calm demeanor kept us at ease, even at the tensest moments.
First, and foremost, though, Wilbur was a friend to everyone. We all recall his hearty laugh, which punctuated the din that sometimes was buzzing in our classrooms. Wilbur’s caring nature belied his intimidating presence. He spent many a day working with us on projects, doing all those wonderful altar boy tasks (such as cutting palms!), and generally hung out with us at school, practices, parties, and other activities.
Wilbur joined many of us as he attended and graduated from Bishop McDevitt. Just like at St. John’s, Wilbur was a popular figure at McDevitt. He earned All-Catholic honors in football and was named to the Montgomery County All-Star team in his senior year.
After high school, Wilbur attended Montgomery County Community College before starting a career at Standard Press Steel in Jenkintown, where he worked for over 25 years until his untimely passing.
He married in 1984 and he and his wife, Dawn, were the proud parents of Jason and Jennifer, who are now in their early twenties.
He enjoyed all sports and many family pursuits. He also enjoyed a cold beer and was very proud of the “beermeister” in his den, where he entertained family, friends, and classmates from the St. John’s Class of 1973.
It was with great sadness that we heard that he died suddenly of a heart attack in January of 2005. He died on a Sunday afternoon in his den almost immediately after watching his beloved Philadelphia Eagles win the NFC Championship Game to get them into the Super Bowl. Many of his classmates attended the funeral, which was held at St. John’s. It was quite poignant that our football coach, Mr. Brett, quietly sat in the back of the church as Wilbur’s short life was celebrated. There was nary a dry eye to be found as our good friend was taken away from us, and his family, much too soon.
We will miss Wilbur and his wide-eyed smile that literally lit up a room, but the vivid memories that we have of him will be with us forever.
“The Gentle Giant”
(1959-2005)
(by David Kraynik and Frank Michael D’Amore)
He arrived in our lives as a larger-than-life figure—literally and figuratively. Wilbur’s commanding presence immediately captured our attention when he became a student at St. John’s. We were captivated by this man-child, whether it entailed craning our necks to say hello as he towered over us when walking the halls or when we watched as he tried to wedge himself into those cramped desks. What ultimately bonded us to him, though, was his enormous heart, which dwarfed his physical dimensions.
Wilbur grew up on Phipps Avenue, just a few blocks from an array of sports fields and basketball courts. He was a gifted athlete, whose coordination, extraordinary physical gifts, and determination made him a compelling figure in all sports. We first saw this on the football field, as Wilbur not only played tight end and was a defensive stalwart, but also had the agility and touch to be our place kicker. Many of us fondly remember him blasting an extra point kick that sailed through the goal posts, over a fence, down a hill, and into a nearby pond.
Wilbur also excelled on the basketball court, as he teamed with Rodney Basketbill to provide a 1-2 punch that was second to none. Wilbur owned the backboard, and patrolled the lane fearlessly, as he snagged many rebounds and swatted away numerous shots. He was our stabilizing force, especially in the biggest games, as his calm demeanor kept us at ease, even at the tensest moments.
First, and foremost, though, Wilbur was a friend to everyone. We all recall his hearty laugh, which punctuated the din that sometimes was buzzing in our classrooms. Wilbur’s caring nature belied his intimidating presence. He spent many a day working with us on projects, doing all those wonderful altar boy tasks (such as cutting palms!), and generally hung out with us at school, practices, parties, and other activities.
Wilbur joined many of us as he attended and graduated from Bishop McDevitt. Just like at St. John’s, Wilbur was a popular figure at McDevitt. He earned All-Catholic honors in football and was named to the Montgomery County All-Star team in his senior year.
After high school, Wilbur attended Montgomery County Community College before starting a career at Standard Press Steel in Jenkintown, where he worked for over 25 years until his untimely passing.
He married in 1984 and he and his wife, Dawn, were the proud parents of Jason and Jennifer, who are now in their early twenties.
He enjoyed all sports and many family pursuits. He also enjoyed a cold beer and was very proud of the “beermeister” in his den, where he entertained family, friends, and classmates from the St. John’s Class of 1973.
It was with great sadness that we heard that he died suddenly of a heart attack in January of 2005. He died on a Sunday afternoon in his den almost immediately after watching his beloved Philadelphia Eagles win the NFC Championship Game to get them into the Super Bowl. Many of his classmates attended the funeral, which was held at St. John’s. It was quite poignant that our football coach, Mr. Brett, quietly sat in the back of the church as Wilbur’s short life was celebrated. There was nary a dry eye to be found as our good friend was taken away from us, and his family, much too soon.
We will miss Wilbur and his wide-eyed smile that literally lit up a room, but the vivid memories that we have of him will be with us forever.