Brian Phillip Hennessey passed away Aug. 12, 2015 at home. He was born in Seattle Dec. 27, 1948 to Philip and Ruth Hennessey.
As a young man, he helped on the family farm milking the cows and working with the livestock. Brian graduated from Marysville High School in 1967. He married his high school sweetheart, Carolyn Engerseth, Dec. 26, 1967. Brian and Carolyn had two daughters, Christi and Carrie, and settled in Arlington, Washington. In 1982, they moved to Tumwater, until their last move to Chehalis in 1993.
Brian had many professions through the years. He worked for Boeing making the templates for the tools used, a carpenter for Glas-ply boats, a brakeman for Union Pacific Railroad and as a welder on heavy earth moving machinery. Brian’s longest profession was being a pharmacy technician for St. Peter Hospital in Olympia then later Centralia Providence Hospital. He also worked as a short-haul truck driver for a brief time.
He enjoyed working with livestock on his property and using his tractor. Brian was also an avid reader of books and enjoyed having long deep conversations on topics such as history, science and philosophy. He seemed to know a little something about everything and was always interested in learning more. He built many things in his life, from fences to sheds to barns and houses. Brian and Carolyn developed many nice properties in their years together. He liked doing his own excavating and bulldozing. In his later years, he became a self-taught stock trader and was fairly successful at reading the market. Brian was a good provider for his family. He was liked by those who had the opportunity to meet him. He was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, brother and uncle. Brian will be dearly missed by all those who loved him.
Brian is survived by his wife of 47 years, Carolyn Hennessey; two daughters, Christi (Hennessey) Riggs and Carrie (Hennessey) Knighten; three sisters, Janice, Colleen and Heather; four grandchildren, Nathan, Shannon, Nicole and Trace; four nephews, Isaac, Ian, Alex and Nick.
Brian was preceded in death by his parents, Philip and Ruth; brother, Tim; and his niece.
Brian struggled with two different types of cancer during the last twelve years. We are glad he is at peace and no longer suffering.
There will be a private family gathering to honor him.
