Seattle Sun Newspaper - Vol. 7, Issue 3, March 2003

Copyright 2003 Seattle Sun. Please feel free to use the article and photos below in your research. Be sure to quote the Seattle Sun as your source.

Longtime florist passes away

Eugene "Gene" Henderson, owner of Lake City Florist for more than 30 years until his retirement in 1996, passed away Dec. 29 with his family at his side. He was 81.

He was a former president of the Lake City Chamber and Lake City Rotary, and was active in Toastmasters. He was instrumental in creating the median along Lake City Way as well as installing the median's distinctive rock sculptures, which he called baked potatoes.

He started in the flower business at age 14 sweeping the floors of Wendt's Flower Shop in Baker, Ore. After graduating from high school, he joined the Army. During World War Two, he served in the South Pacific and rose to the rank of warrant officer.

Following the war, he earned a degree in Floriculture at Oregon State College, then moved to Seattle to work at Crissey Florist. He met his future wife, Frances, got married and started a family, which included two daughters and a family dog, Sandy.

Upon retiring, Gene and Frances moved to Edmonds and then Silver Lake to be closer to their grandchildren.

He is survived by his wife of 49 years, daughter Sally Webster, sister Frances Boyd, brother Gordon Henderson, six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Daughter Carolyn Stewart passed away in 1992.