Friday, April 5, 2024
The world has lost another one of the good ones - Gerald Hennessee.
Gerald and I met through the Boy Scout Troop I led for many years. I was Scoutmaster for a Basic Leader Training event for adult leaders for Middle Tennessee Council. We wanted to have the Tennessee Scenic River Association come to one of our “cracker barrels” to talk about river clean up. I made a few phone calls and ended up talking to Gerald for 2 hours! The first words out of his mouth when I told him who I was, was “I am retired and I sure would like to get involved in the Boy Scouts. How can I help you?” When I told him what we wanted to do, he again asked what he could do. He ended up bringing a canoe and brochures. He also convinced me I needed him as an Assistant Scout Leader. Gerald helped many boys achieve Boy Scout rank which is the first level scout rank. His favorite part of Scouts was backpacking. He had some health issues that limited him to how much he could do.
One particular hiking / backpacking trip was to Philmont, New Mexico. Gerald really wanted to go on that trip. To make sure everyone was ready for the 120 miles we would hike there, we did an outing to Defeated Creek and the Bearwaller Gap trail. I asked Gerald to let me know how he was doing as we went along. Less than a mile on the trail, it was evident Gerald wasn’t going to be able to hike the full distance. I had even lightened the load in his backpack, though he didn’t know. Gerald admitted that he had done all he could do. Doug Haddock, another Assistant Scout Leader, and I hiked back with Gerald to where the church bus was parked at Defeated Creek Campground. Once he was settled, Doug and I caught back up with the rest of the troop. Gerald slept in the coach that night and had a great breakfast the next morning at the restaurant. When I tell stories about the Troop Gerald is in several. He will be missed. Thank You Gerald for your service to Troop 407.
I am posting this because I thought about Gerald on Wednesday as my wife and I pulled into the Defeated Creek Campground and I pointed out to her where the church bus was parked and where Gerald had spent the night. Then I found out that he had passed away on Tuesday the day before. I'm sure by now Gerald has finished all the trails he ever wanted to do.
