William R Henning

1942-2025

Retired Army First Sergeant William “Bill” Robert Henning, 83, of Killeen, Texas, passed away peacefully at home among family on the evening of Aug. 12, 2025, with his wife of 63 years, Patricia Henning, by his side.

Interment with full military honors will be held at 10:00am, September 17, 2025 at the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery, 11463 TX-195, Killeen. A memorial service will follow at 11:30am at Grace Lutheran Church, 1007 Bacon Ranch Road, Killeen.

Bill was a dutiful soldier, and a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. He was born on July 22, 1942 in The Bronx, New York, and moved to Fairlawn, N.J., when he was 11, the fifth of nine children.

Bill joined the U.S. Army in 1962, and married Margaret Patricia Heinen on June 2nd of that year. They were blessed with five children, 17 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren.

Bill was a Vietnam veteran and also served overseas in Germany and Panama, where he was assigned to the Tropic Test Center. He was proud to be involved there in designing equipment such as night vision goggles and individual night vision scopes. He and Patricia and the five children lived in Panama from 1972-78, where they lived an adventurous life together.

Bill retired from the Army in 1983 after more than 21 years of service, and served numerous short tours throughout the world. After retiring at Fort Hood, he worked at the then-Texas Department of Corrections, and also as a government contractor.

He was a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Killeen since 1978.

Besides his wife, Bill is survived by his son Fred Henning (Letty) of San Antonio; and daughters Debbie Eubanks (John) of Killeen, Victoria Ray (Randy) of Arlington, Texas, Machele Watkins of Yarmouth, Mass., Suzanne Holland of Parker, Colo., and Tonya Gilson of Killeen, the 28 grandchildren and great-¬grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.

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