Harry M. Henricksen, 97

Lifetime Kalispell resident Harry M. Henricksen, 97, passed away Tuesday afternoon, Feb. 5, 2008, at Immanuel Lutheran Home in Kalispell. With his daughters and the loving staff at Immanuel attending to his care and comfort, "the Lord came alongside and released him from this life and took him safely home."

Harry was born in Kalispell on Aug. 3, 1910, the oldest of seven children born to Harry "HB" and Amanda Johnson Henricksen. His memories of growing up in Kalispell were all fond ones full of fun, enjoying both work and play.

He learned the value of work at an early age; when still in grade school, his dad gave him a dime, instructed him to head over to the Daily Inter Lake for some newspapers and told to come on home after selling them downtown. He told of reaping bigger rewards serving as a caddy at Buffalo Hill in the days when it was being mowed with a farm mower. The grass being longer necessitated young boys for caddies and he felt pretty flush making 50 cents for nine holes! A dip in the Stillwater River below the golf course provided the cooling off needed after a hot afternoon, and hopping aboard a stray log destined for the mill in Somers added some adventure.

After graduation from Flathead County High School in 1928, Harry went to work in the outdoors as a trail crew member, putting in the trail on Lone Man Mountain. He returned to work with the Forest Service the summer of '29 - first on a road crew and then on the trail crew near Polebridge in the North Fork. The fires hit later in the summer and when he wasn't among the fire crew members that got chased out by the fire, the rumor got started that he'd been lost in the fire. He'd actually walked out alone just ahead of them to get back to town and on to college for the fall term.

He first attended St. Olaf and later transferred to the University of Idaho at Moscow, where he studied business administration. But the Great Depression forced him to leave school and return to Kalispell in 1931, where he went to work at his dad's Dodge dealership. His initiation into the automobile business began with sweeping floors, washing cars, collecting money and occasionally having to represent the finance company, Commercial Credit, when they had to repossess a car and, of course, trying to sell a few.

When his dad passed away in 1938, the dealership had become home to Oldsmobile, Cadillac and GMC, and he and his brother Gordon "Pink," took over Henricksen Motors at 412 S. Main at the young ages of 25 and 28. With their mother, Amanda, and younger siblings still at home, the two brothers had a a rather daunting prospect, but it was one they both persevered and succeeded at, until the dealership was sold in 1977.

Harry met and married Harriet Genevieve Jacobson in 1944. He was a "family man" and felt so fortunate to be able to spend summer weekends on Flathead Lake at "the cabin." Later, after selling "the garage," he and Harriet enjoyed a few winters with other Kalispell "snowbirds" at Apache Wells near Phoenix. Proud of his Norwegian heritage, he made two trips to Norway and was thrilled to be able to make the acquaintances of aunts, uncles, cousins, and others who continued to live there.

"The prospect of life without Dad, Grandpa 'Bestafar,' and Uncle Harry is a little daunting but we remember his often repeated sentiment, that 'The Lord has been good to me.' And the Lord has been so good to us to have blessed us with his presence these many years."

He was a lifetime member of Bethlehem Lutheran Church, and was affiliated with the Elks, Masonic Lodge, Shriners and Sons of Norway.

Harry was preceded in death by his wife, Harriet; parents, Harry "HB" and Amanda Henricksen; his brothers, Gordon "Pink," Howard and Homer; and sisters, Nordis Schuster Jacobson and Phyllis Bolton Felix.

He is survived by his sister, Leona Lenschow, and husband, Hans, of Bellevue, Wash.; brother-in-law, Irvin Jacobson, and wife, Margaret, of Kalispell; and sister-in-law, Lorrian Martin, of Gresham, Ore.; his four daughters, Karen Breck and husband, Steve, of Kalispell, Ann Grimshaw and husband, Jack, of Dayton, Ohio, Kristin Henricksen of Bigfork, and Sandra Henricksen of Kalispell. Harry's grandchildren and their families include Shaun Grimshaw, wife, Kris, and their sons, Noah, Ethan and Sam of Evergreen, Colo.; Carey Grimshaw of Fort Collins, Colo.; Tracey Hoover of New Jersey; Justin Breck, wife, Stephanie, and their son, Wyatt, of Kalispell; Jessica Breck of Phoenix; Emily Myers and husband, Chad, of Kalispell; and Tyler Breck of Kalispell; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to noon Monday, Feb. 11, at Johnson Funeral Home, 525 Main St. Memorial services followed by a reception in the fellowship room are scheduled for 1 p.m. Monday afternoon at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 603 Main St., in Kalispell. Family graveside services at C.E. Conrad Memorial Cemetery will be after the reception.

The family would like to express their heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the staff at Prestige Assisted Living and at Immanuel Lutheran Home for the capable, loving care, companionship and comfort extended to Harry during the years he made his home with them.

"You are a special group of people who welcomed and treated him as one of your own. We love you all."

The family suggests that donations made in Harry's memory be to the Shriners Hospital in Spokane.