Longtime teacher, golf advocate mourned

Darleene Barrientos

A science and technology scholarship will likely be named after a

longtime Glendale and La Crescenta math and physics teacher who died

recently.

Dennis Henderson, who taught most recently at Clark Magnet High

and taught at Hoover High for a year prior to that, died in his sleep

Dec. 1. He was 57. Henderson was a Hacienda Heights resident and is

survived by his wife, Kathy; his son, Bart; and daughter, Laurie.

Clark Magnet’s student government awards three scholarships each

year for leadership, community service and science and technology.

The leadership award was named for Don Empe when he retired as deputy

superintendent of educational services and the community service

award renamed for board member Jeanne Bentley, who died last year.

The science and technology award will likely be named for Henderson,

Clark Magnet Principal Doug Dall said.

“He was just the gentle giant. He was so kind and considerate. He

saw the bigger picture in students -- he saw there was a point where

you were treated like a child and you were treated like an adult, and

he helped that transition in the students,” Dall said.

Henderson suffered from a disease that weakened the wall of his

aorta, Clark Magnet Principal Doug Dall said.

Henderson was taken to Huntington Memorial Hospital just days

before his death, but a doctor had approved his return to work.

“It’s hard on the students. We had a psychologist here and she

said there’s several things that shouldn’t happen -- one is that

teachers shouldn’t die,” Dall said.

Students sometimes expect their teachers to not have a life

outside of school, but moreover, teachers are the first adult

relationship that young people choose to have, he said.

“It’s especially hurtful for these kids, because they felt they

lost their friend,” Dall said.

In Henderson, students found a friend who served as the online

gaming club advisor and was involved in the engineering club’s work

with Raytheon.

During his 10 years at Hoover, Henderson also cemented his legacy

by securing a yearly $12,500 grant to ensure golf competition in the

Pacific League. The money each year is distributed between Hoover and

Glendale High and Muir High school in Pasadena.

“Denny saved golf. It was a tremendous thing he had done. It was

one of his true legacies that he left behind,” Hoover Principal Kevin

Welsh said.

Contributions to the Henderson scholarship fund can be sent to the

care of Clark Magnet, at 4747 New York Ave., La Crescenta, CA 91214.

For information, call the school at 248-8324.