Obituary: Kerry Henrickson

Kerry (Thomson) Henrickson, Northern Arizona University physiology and pathology assistant professor, died of cancer at her home in Flagstaff, Ariz., on Jan. 26, 2011. Dr. Henrickson was born in Kalispell on Nov. 19, 1969, and lived with her parents Bob and Jan Thomson in Great Falls, where she graduated from CMR High School in 1988.

She graduated from the University of Montana in Missoula in 1992, with degrees in zoology, Spanish and chemistry. She was a Smithsonian Fellow.

She attended UC Berkeley, where she earned a master’s degree in integrative biology and was also the captain of its NCAA national champion TaeKwonDo team. She later earned a master’s degree from the UM School of Journalism in science writing, and worked for local newspapers and Coffey Communications. She taught science writing at UM, and later taught biology at community colleges in Oregon and California.

She was the science department chair at Cochise College in Sierra Vista, Ariz., where she taught anatomy and physiology classes for seven years. She earned her PhD. in science education from Capella University in 2007, and became a faculty member of NAU in 2008, where she taught physiology and pathology.

Her primary research interest was active learning methodologies designed to retain and advance physiology students in higher education.

She was passionate about engaging students in their own learning, and teaching other higher education professionals to utilize active learning in their teaching.

She asked her students, “What would you do if you knew you could not fail?,” encouraging them to do their very best and to contribute to the lives of others. She felt very privileged to guide undergraduates and her graduate students, including Aaron Tabor.

Kerry met the love of her life, Dr. Jim Henrickson, in Bisbee, Ariz., where they lived after their marriage May 18, 2003.

She and Jim shared interests in medicine, guitar and music, house makeovers, pets and gardening. They were inseparable. Kerry was spiritual, reflective, a glass artist, enjoyed cooking, and liked redesigning and rehabbing the houses and gardens where she and Jim lived. She is remembered as student-centered, bright, innovative, and full of energy and life. She is sorely missed by all who knew and loved her.

Kerry is survived by her husband, Jim, and her pets, Otter, Dandy and Rascal, at the family home in Flagstaff, and her parents, Jan and Bob Thomson of Great Falls. Other survivors include her aunts, Mary Lee of Washington and Betty (Ron Null) of Bigfork; uncles, Mike (Judy) Lee and Conly (Marlys) Lee of Troy; uncles, Don (Jude) Thomson of Bigfork and Jack (Muffie) Thomson of Lakeside; aunts, Mary Kay (Vernon) Browning and Megan Beason of Plains; sister-in-law, Mary Henrickson (Steve Flagg) of Bloomington, Minn.; and brothers-in-law, Ed (Myrna) Henrickson Moorehead, Minn., and Dr. Myron (Joanne) Henrickson of Minneapolis, Minn. She is also survived by numerous cousins, nephews and nieces.

Dear friends surviving her include Charie Faught of Butte, Sherry Honea of Florence, Ore., and Marion Schultz of Idaho, Katie Echazeretta of Virginia, Dr. Greg Wolgamot of Washington; Angie and Walt Walker of Great Falls,, Margaret Hartsook of Denver; Jenn DeMonte of Whitefish; Betty Lindstrom and Carol Parent of Bisbee, Dr. R. (Bubba) Hall, “Miss Pat,” George Self, Tasneem Ashraf, Dr. Karen Nicodemis, Dr. Joanna Michelich, and other faculty and staff at Cochise College; NAU research colleague and friend, Dr. Dave Perotti, Dr. Mary Beth Watwood, Singne Slayton, and other colleagues and staff at NAU.

She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Byron and Inez Lee of Ferndale; Bob and Carol McShane of Bigfork, and Fielding and Bonnie Thomson of Kalispell; and, also by her uncle, Gary Lee of Bigfork.

Services will be held in Flagstaff at the Norvel Owens Mortuary, 914 East Route 66, on Feb. 5 (Saturday), at 2 p.m. Friends from the Sierra Vista-Bisbee area will celebrate her life, at the Cochise College Sierra Vista Campus Student Union Community Center on Feb. 10 at 11 a.m.

Another celebration of her life, and dispersal of her ashes, will be held in July on Flathead Lake in Montana.

Those wishing to remember Dr. Henrickson through memorials can make contributions to the charity or organization of their choice.

Condolences can be posted on www.norvelowensmortuary.com.