George Edward Henderson

George Edward Henderson, 76, of St. Petersburg, Florida, passed away peacefully and unexpectedly in his sleep on August 21, 2024.

George was predeceased by his parents, George Theodore Henderson and Helen Hennessy Henderson; three siblings, John Martin Henderson, Carl Thomas Henderson and Honorah Clare Henderson.  

George is survived by his wife and partner of 50 years, Lynn Carol Henderson, his son, Carl Star Henderson (Rachel) and his grandchildren, Gryphon and Lily.

George also leaves behind five siblings; Ellen Mary Henderson Storey (James), Brigid Elizabeth Henderson Rodin (Jon), Roy Robert Henderson (Beth), Brice James Henderson (Lorna) and Sheila Anne Henderson Billingsley (Trent). George’s numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends also deeply feel the void left by his passing.

George was born on June 15, 1948 in Staten Island, NY. He was the second of nine children born to George and Helen Henderson. Soon after he was born, the family moved to Bound Brook New Jersey. After graduating from Delbarton School, Morristown New Jersey in 1966, he obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Natural Science with a concentration in Limnology (1970) at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA. He continued his education with a Master’s in Zoology (1973) from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst MA. His master’s thesis was an ecological examination of algal blooms and eutrophication of Stockbridge Bowl, Massachusetts.

In 1966, George played one year of college football at the University of Pennsylvania, and while recovering from a football injury, met Lynn Carol Applefeld in biology class. 

Theirs was a lifelong love affair and a partnership that never ended.  

As an undergraduate and graduate student, George studied at the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, taught inner city youth and joined with his wife-to-be in the political movements of the era. After their mutual graduations from UPENN, George spent two additional years in St. Louis Missouri, finishing his thesis while courting his sweetheart. Lynn Carol obtained her Master’s in Fine Arts at Washington University, and they were then married in October 1973. George became an Environmental Scientist for the state of Florida’s Department of Natural Resources, and had numerous roles, progressing from Research Scientist to Director of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, Marine Research Laboratory. 

Over the years, George explored the cultural and environmental conditions of many countries, counties, and neighborhoods. From local conditions to national policies, George remained interested and engaged. In 1981, George and Lynn Carol had their son, Carl Henderson, now of Virginia. George was a supportive and devoted husband and father and truly loved being a grandfather.  

George continued working for the State of Florida for more than 35 years. After years of direct scientific engagement and environmental administration, he chose to return to research and review as a Senior Marine Biologist and private consultant for the State of Florida. 

He was involved in the creation and development of many of Florida's now established environmental programs for marine environments. You can hear him directly discussing a bit of this work at:

 http://exhibits.lib.usf.edu/exhibits/show/ohp-tampabayestuary   

The video was recorded by the USF Tampa Bay Estuary oral history project and is a testament to George’s interest and support of public scholarship and education. 

After formally retiring from the State of Florida, George was called back into service to help preserve Florida’s beaches and marine ecology from the massive Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. There he demonstrated his expertise in emergency management and oil spill response projects.

He had a lifelong professional interest in sea grass beds, oil spill management, and disaster mitigation; though he joked that he had to come out of retirement to “catch the really big one.” 

In addition to his decades of environmental contributions, George loved spending time with family and friends exploring the natural world. He advocated passionately for its preservation, reclamation, and restoration. He had numerous hobbies, from whitewater rafting, hiking, and biking, to solitaire, crosswords, juggling and exploring museums.

A memorial service will be held at 

Saint Petersburg Friends Meeting (Quakers)

130 19th Ave Southeast, St. Petersburg Florida 

on November 2, 2024, at 2:00 pm. 

In lieu of flowers, donations in his name can be made to:

 The Tampa Bay Estuary Program

or 

The Friends Committee on National Legislation