Cecilie Henning

Obituary – Cecilie Walker Henning

Cecilie Walker Henning passed away Saturday, June 20, 2020 following a series of health battles. She was 65.

Cecilie was born July 11, 1954 in Hominy, Oklahoma to Kent W. and Frances (Wilkinson) Walker. She graduated from Cleveland High School a year early in 1971 and began attending Oklahoma State University in the fall.

Having grown up in the home of a long-time high school educator, Cecilie pursued a career in teaching. She earned a degree in Secondary Education with an emphasis in Social Sciences and American History in 1975. Her family’s passion for learning and education led her to continue master’s degree studies for some time.

After failing to find an ideal teaching position, Cecilie decided to move to Wichita, Kansas to be near her brother Bruce and wife Joyce. She worked for Cessna Aircraft Company from 1976 to 1978 as an Avionics Planner. Her move to Wichita led to her meeting her future husband, Daniel, also an employee at Cessna. The two wed September 24, 1977 in Cleveland, Oklahoma.

The couple moved to Tulsa in 1979 where Cecilie took a position as a buyer at Sperry Vickers – Tulsa Winch. In late 1980, she left the position to focus on her pregnancy. On May 11, 1981, Cecilie gave birth to the couple’s only child, Tyler, in Tulsa.

While raising Tyler, Cecilie commuted to Cleveland daily from Tulsa to help her father with Walker’s Feed Store, the family business. In 1987, she bought the business from her father and served as owner until 1990. She handed day-to-day operations over to her husband Dan and took a position as managing editor of The Cleveland American newspaper.

Cecilie and family were blessed to serve as a host home for South African exchange student Matshipi “Chipi” (Mabane) Mongoai in 1991. Tapping into her passion for history and social sciences, Cecilie created a road-trip vacation for the family that summer, focusing on landmarks of Abraham Lincoln. Knowing that Chipi was experiencing her country’s emergence from apartheid, Cecilie wanted to show her honorary daughter this important piece of American history.

While serving as an editor, Cecilie relished the opportunity to take on special editions and historical pieces. In 1994, she worked feverishly to create a large centennial edition of the newspaper that served as an encompassing look at Cleveland’s history. She also earned many awards from the Oklahoma Press Association for opinion pieces, news articles, and overall quality of the newspaper.

In 2000, Cecilie became a writer and editor for Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association. While in that position, she was able to earn a living while researching and creating content around Scripture. From this position and her research, she was always able to have a verse and resources at the ready for anyone needing a word of encouragement from the Lord.

Following seven years in that role, she returned to Cleveland as a quality manager at Tulsa Valve Company. The company moved and transferred ownership in Muskogee to become Omni Valve Company in 2011. Omni Valve and Muskogee became her home away from home, as she worked there throughout the week and would rejoin Dan in Cleveland on weekends. At Omni, she used her meticulous attention to detail polished from an editorial career to create quality control procedures ensuring the company passed essential audits. More importantly, at Omni, she found a work family she loved and who supported her through her battles with cancer.

Cecilie was known by many for her faith and passion for the Lord. Many benefitted from her providing the right message or Scripture at the perfect time. She loved her Cleveland church community at Presbyterian Methodist Fellowship Church, and previously at the First United Methodist Church and First Presbyterian Church in Cleveland.

Her passions and hobbies included reading novels, studying devotionals, working crossword puzzles, coloring, jewelry-making, crocheting, traveling, cooking, photography, and much more. Many of her passions allowed her to make gifts for others, including creating blankets for her grandsons and prayer shawls. Her family and friends will remember her faith, talents, generosity, and focus on the importance of education.

Over her lifetime, Cecilie served as a past president of the Cleveland Chamber of Commerce, in various roles in the leadership of her church families, pianist for her church, and in other areas she felt she could contribute.

Cecilie was preceded in death by her parents, aunt Valentina "Rudy" Duckworth, uncles Archie Walker and David Walker, niece Mollie (Abbott) Heaberlin, cousin Louise (Walker) Wehler, and honorary daughter Matshipi "Chipi" (Mabane) Mongoai. She is survived by her husband, Daniel, of the home; son Tyler and spouse Taryn Henning of Broken Arrow; two grandchildren, Oliver Kent Henning and Sawyer James Henning; sister Barbara (Walker) Abbott and husband Jerry, brother Ronald Walker and wife Janie, and brother Bruce Walker and wife Joyce; and many cherished nieces, nephews and cousins.

A small private ceremony will be held for the family at the Presbyterian Methodist Fellowship Church on Thursday, June 26 at 1:30 p.m. A committal ceremony will follow at Woodland Cemetery. The Reverend Sandy Bach will officiate. Considering the current health risks of a large gathering, the family plans to hold a larger celebration of life for all interested in attending at a later date.

Those wishing to remember Cecilie are invited to consider a donation to the Presbyterian Methodist Fellowship Church.

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