Creswell Soaring Club Knows how to give Scott Henderson a send-off

Family, friends celebrate Scott Henderson's life
Published: October 28, 2009

The inscribed boulder that will serve as a memorial to the late Scott
Henderson at Creswell's Hobby Field airport.

By Helen Hollyer

As Mike Grier's Piper Pawnee towed a banner reading, "I'm with angels,
Alex. I love you all – Scott," over Creswell's Hobby Field airport, a
flock of geese took flight from ponds east of the airfield, honking
loudly as they moved into position in their characteristic V-shaped
flying formation.

It was a fitting tribute to the late Benjamin Scott Henderson, the
always affable pilot in the process of establishing a Creswell-airport-
based business, "Scotty Air," to provide banner towing and sailplane
launching when he died Aug. 23, 2009, following his passion -- flying.

Henderson's family members and friends gathered Sunday afternoon, Oct.
25 at Creswell airport's Experimental Aircraft Association building to
celebrate his life.
They admired the boulder set just east of the EAA building as a
memorial that had been provided by Henderson's father Frank Henderson
and his mother Cheryl Olson and her husband Greg Olson.

The boulder's polished face is inscribed with the words:
"In memory of Benjamin ‘Scott' Henderson
‘Scotty Air'

And of the living…none, not one
Who truly loves the sky
Would trade a hundred earthbound hours
For one he could fly—Gill Robb Wilson

‘My life was such a blast…
And now I'm flying with angels'
Love, Scott."

One of the two benches donated by Chuck and Sue Hanson, parents of
Henderson's life partner Kim Covington, was placed near the memorial
boulder; the other was placed next to the EAA building. Both read, "In
memory of Scott Henderson/He flies with angels."

As attendees watched quietly, Mark Stroble, a Creswell resident,
commercial pilot and Certified Flight Instructor, with Henderson's
business partner Bill Kelly as passenger, flew Henderson's Cessna 172
low over the airfield and released his ashes.

Four other local pilots performed the "Missing Man Formation," flying
abreast as they approached the airfield from the south, with Steve
Searle in his RV-6 peeling off alone as the other three, Stephan Hart
in his Beech Bonanza, Larry Lowenkron in his Bellanca and Paul
Preziose in a Cessna 182, continued north in formation.

The towed banner with the special message to Alex, Henderson's 15-year-
old daughter, was the afternoon's final aerial observance before
attendees entered the EAA building for a potluck meal and to share
memories of Henderson.