William C. “Bill” Henness, Jr., 60, of Owensboro passed away Tuesday, March 26, 2019 at Owensboro Health Regional Hospital. A member of the United States Tennis Association for more than 40 years, he was a devoted tennis coach and teacher and had served as the general manager of The Centre Court Owensboro-Daviess County Tennis Association. He was the Kentucky USTA Tennis Professional of the Year for 2018. Born in Jacksonville, FL, Bill graduated from Paris High School where he was captain of the basketball and tennis teams. He attended Eastern Illinois University where he on the tennis team, and Kentucky Wesleyan College. Bill moved to Owensboro to teach tennis at the Joan Ramey Tennis School, after which he returned to Paris, IL to teach tennis at The Wabash Valley Tennis Club in Terre Haute. He returned to Owensboro to become the tennis professional at The Executive Racquet Club prior to his role at The Centre Court. When he wasn’t playing or teaching tennis, he did enjoy fishing and country music, sometimes both at the same time.
Those left to honor the memory of Bill Henness include his children William Henness, III and his wife Megan of Franklin, KY, and Rachel Henness, of Owensboro; his parents William C. Henness, Sr. and Virginia Comstock Henness of Paris, IL; his grandchildren Carter Bear Henness and Tyler Jet Henness; his sister Sheri Burns and her husband David of Catlin, IL ; and his brothers Michael Henness and his wife Jennifer of Paris, IL , and Patrick Henness and his wife Kim of Mattoon, IL.
The funeral service for Bill Henness will be at 4:00 p.m. Friday at Glenn Funeral Home and Crematory, where visitation will be from 12:00 noon Friday.
Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to The Glioblastoma Foundation, P.O. Box 62066 Durham, NC 27715.
Memories and messages of condolence for the family of Bill Henness may be placed at www.glenncares.com.