Jim Henderson

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Biography

Father is from Texas, mother from Kansas. They met in New Orleans serving in the US Army during WW II. Born in Chippewa Falls, Chippewa, WI but moved to Owatonna, Steele, MN in 1950. My father was the superintendent of the Owatonna State School for the Mentally Retarded. Attended schools in Owatonna and Minneapolis at the University of MN until 1967. Volunteered for US Navy, spent 1 year in San Diego, 1 1/2 years in Vietnam, 13 months in Puerto Rico. Honorably discharged as an RM2(E5) in July 1971, returned to the U of MN, Institute of Technology majoring in civil engineering. In July 1974 went to Samoa as a Peace Corps Volunteer, did some geologic exploration and roads/traffic engineering work. Met my wife (a teacher from Indiana) in Samoa, got married, and returned to the US in the fall of 1976. Started Graduate School at the U of MN (in Traffic Systems), got a full time job and completed a Master of Civil Engineering (MCE) degree in the summer of 1982. First worked for Ralph Burke and Associates, then Howard Needles Tammen and Bergendoff (HNTB), then Enviroscience. Left full time engineering in 2004 and took a position in a Minneapolis Public High School. Worked with students who had delayed cognitive development (DCD)with mental and/or physical disabilities. Spent two summers with a couple more engineering companies, but preferred to spend summer school with my DCD students. Retired permanently in spring of 2012 and now spend my days tracking down my family tree (among other things).

Sources

• First-hand information. Entered by James Henderson at registration.