Huck Henry, who has died at the age of 88, was a long-time resident of Knowlton. He was extremely generous with his time and money and was one of the driving forces behind the fundraising for the Centre Lac-Brome and was heavily involved with the philanthropic CARKE Foundation.

Roderick Leinster Henry was born in Montreal in 1929. His father was a British immigrant, who was 54 when his only child was born. From an early age they called him Huck. “He had red hair, and he was a very naughty over-protected only child, so he reminded people of Huck Finn,” said his daughter, Dr. Willa Henry.

Huck grew up in Hudson, Quebec and went to Lower Canada College in Montreal.

An outstanding athlete, Huck played Junior A and could have been a professional hockey player. However, he met Jill Foster of Knowlton, the daughter of George B. ‘Bunny’ Foster.

“My grandfather told my father that if he wanted to marry my mother, he would have to give up hockey and get a steady job,” said Willa, the eldest of Huck’s three daughters. He started as a salesman in Wire Rope Industries in Montreal and eventually became president.

He became involved with the Duck Farm through his wife’s family and took a keen interest in its success.

The couple married in 1953. Huck was a keen golfer, a member of the Knowlton Golf Club and was president in 1971-72. A former caddy commented: “Huck was always a friendly man. He could really drive a ball, but his putting left something to be desired.”

Huck Henry died in Florida on April 9. He is survived by his three daughters, Willa, Diana, and Jane. His wife Jill died in 1988, and he remarried Dodi Massey. She survives him as do his stepchildren, Debby, John, and Peter Massey as well as 13 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren, with two more on the way.