John W. Henkel, age 88, of Mount Vernon, passed away on Thursday, July 23, 2026, at his home surrounded by family.
He was born on October 12, 1937, in Cleveland, Ohio and was a son to the late Julius and Josephine (Smith) Henkel. He was voted Cleveland’s most beautiful baby.
John graduated from Brush High School in 1955. He was an avid aviation enthusiast who served 4 years in the US Air Force stationed at Scott AFB and Elmendorf AFB. After his military service he worked for Mohawk Airlines, Air America, National Utility Helicopters and Halliburton. He lived and traveled for many years through his working years in Okinawa, Saigon, Indonesia and Singapore. He enjoyed building airplane models and taking both his children and grandchildren to air shows and air museums. He also loved computers and built his first from scratch, Mildred, in 1981. Although a computer or calculator can do complex calculations he always relied on his collection of slide rules. He enjoyed country music and playing the guitar. He was a die-hard Cleveland Indians and Browns fan. He also looked forward to his Tuesday morning breakfast gatherings with “the guys,” where friendship, laughter, and good conversation were always on the menu.
John is survived by his wife, Judy (Hopkins) Henkel; a son, David (Lyn) Henkel (Bali), two daughters, Susan (Rogers) Henkel Smith (MD) and Jodi (Adam) Lanthorn(OH); and three grandchildren: Stephanie Summers (DC), Andrew Smith (OR), and Mason Lanthorn (OH).
He was preceded in death by a daughter, JoEllen Orahoske; grandson, Dillon Lanthorn; and a brother, David Henkel.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, July 25, 2026, at 1:00 PM at Snyder Funeral Home – Lasater Chapel, 11337 Upper Gilchrist Rd in Mount Vernon. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. Military honors will be provided by the Knox County Joint Veterans Council.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: Gentiva Hospice in John’s memory.
To express a condolence to the Henkel family, please visit www.snyderfuneralhomes.com
Funeral Home: The Snyder Funeral Home – Lasater Chapel
Website: www.snyderfuneralhomes.com