Larry Westfall Hennesy

Larry Westfall Hennesy passed away peacefully on June 28th, 2023, after a short illness beginning with a fall a month earlier. One of eight children of Willard and Esther Hennesy, he was born in Toledo, Iowa, in 1935. He spent his entire childhood there, graduating from high school in 1953. He spent the next three years working as a printer for the Toledo Chronicle, where he worked during his high school years.

Larry then enrolled in the Journalism School at the University of Iowa, graduating in 1960 with a B.A. in Journalism.

After graduation, Larry, wife Sis and son Mark headed west to Colorado for employment in the advertising department of the Gates Rubber Company. After months as a trainee in every group within the department, he was assigned to the Industrial group where the advertising department was in 1962.

He was named manager of the department in 1967 and continued in that capacity until 1997, when he became Manager of Marketing Communications, then retired in 1999.

Larry was active in several organizations during his career, including the Gates Toastmasters club, which was instrumental in helping him with presentations and public speaking. He was honored as their Toastmaster of the year in the mid Eighties.

This led to a rewarding 34 years with an advertising group initially knowns as the Association of Industrial Advertisers, later becoming the Business Marketing Association. Twice he was named President of the group. During this time, Larry was fortunate to work with many of the top business and marketing professionals in the industry. These businessmen were major supporters of the yearly golf tournament organized by Larry for a number of years. Larry was also honored by the group as their man of the year as well.

Golf was at the top of the list of sports he enjoyed. A ten-day trip to Scotland in 1994 was a memorable one, where they played 8 of the world’s top 100 courses, as well as playing Pebble Beach in 2018. Over the past 12 years he enjoyed a yearly golf trip to Nevada with a large group and his sons and nephew. An avid Broncos fan, he also was a long time Chicago Cubs fan, in addition to the Colorado Rockies.

After retirement, Larry volunteered for several years at St. Anthony’s North and North Suburban hospitals and served on their volunteer boards.

Larry was preceded in death by his wife Darlys (Sis) Siemens Hennesy in 2019. Their 62-year marriage was blessed by four children: Mark, Brad, Stacey and Michael.

Mark’s three daughters, Jessy, Becca and Tessa all live in the Denver area. Brad and wife Anita have one daughter Rachael and four grandchildren. Dr. Stacey Hennesy has one daughter Katie, who has been closely involved with her grandparents since birth. Dr. Michael Hennesy and wife Meghan have two boys Brogan and Kelton and reside in Mahomet, Illinois.

Larry is also survived by two of his seven siblings, Judy Cooper, of Hudson, WI and Craig Hennesy, of Phoenix, AZ.

Also surviving are numerous nieces and nephews and their families. They make up a group of 80-100 of the Hennesy Clan that gathers every 2 years for a reunion in Iowa which Larry enjoyed immensely. 2023 will be the 25th anniversary of that event.

Larry is certain his friends will forgive him for the endless boasting about the academic achievements and successes of his children and grandchildren over the years.