Kevin Thomas Henry, 44

Kevin Thomas Henry, 44, of Missoula, passed away on Thursday, June 11, 2009.

Kevin was born March 1, 1965, in Rapid City, S.D., to Otis and Lois Henry.He was the fifth of six children. Shortly after his birth, the family moved to Winslow, Ariz., and then to Kalispell. He went through the Kalispell school system and graduated from Flathead High School in 1983. Kevin enjoyed playing baseball all the way through Babe Ruth.In high school he played football and participated in speech, debate, drama and choir.During his senior year, you could see him around Kalispell as the "Kissing Bandit," delivering balloons and songs, or in a quartet singing at many functions.

He joined the Marines in 1986, and upon his discharge, he moved to Missoula.

On April 15, 1989, he married Tammy Reeder in Missoula.Their son Joshua was born there and shortly thereafter the couple moved to Salt Lake City. It was there, their daughter Kaitlin and son Sean were born.

Kevin worked at Foot Locker and a Ford dealership. The family moved back to Missoula where the family continues to live, and where Kevin worked as a loan officer at Capital Family Mortgage Co.

Kevin was active in church activities and enjoyed teaching Sunday school. He delivered food monthly for the Missoula Food Bank, belonged to the Christian Men's Fellowship and was very involved with the Special Olympics.For the past six years, come January he would raise money for the Grizzly Dip benefitting the Special Olympics and voluntarily jumped in the freezing water, in between helping prepare chili to feed all the other jumpers.

Kevin loved his family immensely, and was at every game and activity that his kids were involved with, either watching or coaching them as they grew.After 20 years of marriage, Kevin's love for Tammy was as strong as the day they got married and Josh, Kaitlin and Sean were his pride and joys.

He enjoyed working in his garden, golf, hunting and fishing with whomever wanted to go.Kevin was always willing to lend a helping hand, and never met a stranger who didn't become his friend.Kevin will be greatly missed by everyone who knew and loved him.

He was preceded in death by one infant sister, Sherilyn Marie; and father, Otis.

He is survived by his wife, Tammy; two sons, Joshua (19) and Sean (11) and daughter Kaitlin (17), of Missoula; mother, Lois, of Missoula; three brothers, Randy and Melissa of Arlington, Wash., Scott and Jackie of Ledger, and Rod and Darcie of Stevensville; sister, TeresaManlove, and John Stordahl, of Missoula; and many nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life service will be held at 11 a.m. today, June 16, at Convergence Ministries in Missoula at 3020 South Ave. W.

In lieu of flowers, a fund has been set up for the family of Kevin Henry and contributions can be made to the Henry Family Fund at the Missoula Federal Credit Union.