William R. Henry, owner of N.J. firm

William R. Henry didn't limit his construction expertise to South Jersey.

In 1988, Mr. Henry "went to Iquitos, Peru, to help build a school building for deaf children in conjunction with Shawnee Baptist Church and the ABWE Mission," his biographical notes report.

The church is in Shamong and the Association of Baptists for World Evangelization is in Harrisburg.

And in 1990, "Bill went to Honduras with Wiley Church and the WGM Mission to help rehab a building to be used at the El Sembrador Farm School for boys," the notes state.

The Wiley Church is in Marlton and the World Gospel Mission is an international organization.

On Saturday, Nov. 1, Mr. Henry, 84, of Mount Laurel, a former Medford councilman and owner of a plumbing and heating firm there, died of a stroke at Geisinger Wyoming Valley Medical Center in Wilkes-Barre.

Mr. Henry was given the Citizen of the Year Award in 1979 by the Medford-Vincentown Rotary.

"This award is one pleasurable way to express our appreciation for varied, continued, and dependable service to the community," reads the award citation. Mr. Henry was a past president of that organization.

Born in Camden, Mr. Henry graduated from Merchantville High School in 1948 and served a five-year tour in the Navy, for a time in the supply section of the destroyer Ault.

His father had started the family firm in Pennsauken in 1929. It became William W. Henry & Son Plumbing and Heating Contractors.

"He started helping his father in the plumbing business when he was in high school," Mr. Henry's wife, Blanche, said.

Married in 1952, Mr. Henry was president of the firm from the early 1950s into the early 2000s, when the family closed the business, his wife said. He had moved the firm to Medford in 1956.

After he turned over the business to two of his sons, he was the township plumbing inspector for more than a dozen years.

Mr. Henry was chief of the Taunton Fire Company in Medford from 1958 to 1967, his Rotary citation stated.

He was a member of the Republican Club of Medford, the Medford Business Association, the Greater Medford Group, the Lake Pine Colony Club in Medford, the Odd Fellows lodge, and the Medford VFW post.

Besides his wife of 62 years, Mr. Henry is survived by their son, Ted, and two grandchildren. He was predeceased by sons W. Mark and James.

A viewing was set from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Nov. 8, at the Bradley & Stow Funeral Home, 127 Medford-Mount Holly Rd., Medford, before a noon funeral service there, with interment in Parkview Cemetery, Medford.

Donations may be sent to Easton Bible Church, 2407 Fostertown Rd., Hainesport, N.J. 08036, or to http://ebc.org.

Condolences may be offered to the family at www.bradleystow.com.