Henry D. Bronson, 87, of Oak Brook, passed away March 6, 2023.
Henry grew up in the Beverly neighborhood of Chicago with his parents, Walter (Dick) and Lillian and younger brother Bill and attended Morgan Park High School, where he participated in swimming and baseball, played trumpet in the jazz band and met his future bride, Dorothy Howard.
He was an Eagle Scout with troop 608.
He received a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Purdue University.
Henry was president of a manufacturing business started by his father, which is currently in its 75th year and fourth generation of ownership and management. His primary project there was the computerization of the business in the late 1970s and early '80s, which involved designing and programming from scratch what amounted to an entire ERP system. In his retirement years, he remained involved in many manufacturing-oriented endeavors and was constantly building things.
Henry and Dorothy married in 1958, settled in Western Springs and began their family. In 1965 they moved to Oak Brook, and joined the fledgling Christ Church of Oak Brook, which was meeting in Butler School. He and Dorothy both filled many roles at the church over the years. He was an elder and on the board of trustees. He was heavily involved with Haggai Institute, sponsoring many Christian leaders around the world to spread the love of Jesus and the Christian faith widely.
Henry was an avid and skilled tennis player and skier. He loved nature and the water and enjoyed camping, canoeing, kayaking, scuba diving and ice hockey. He was an engineer, a tinkerer, a poet, a mentor, a quiet man of strong faith.
He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Dorothy Bronson, nee Howard; his children, Anne (Stephen) McClary of Hinsdale and Mark (Jami) Bronson; his eight grandchildren, Christine (Juan) Jimenez, Jill (Andrew Gutierrez) McClary-Gutierrez, Jake (Sarah) Bronson, Lindsey McClary, Kevin Bronson, Samantha McClary, Amanda Bronson and Arthur Calvin Bronson; his two great-grandchildren, Eliana Flor Jimenez and Audrey Rose Bronson; and his brother William E. Bronson.
He was preceded in death by his granddaughter, Sarah Bronson McClary.
Visitation is from 3:30 to 6 p.m. Friday, March 10 at Sullivan Funeral Home, 60 S. Grant St., Hinsdale.
A funeral will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 11, at Christ Church of Oak Brook, 501 Oak Brook Road.
Interment will be private at Bronswood Cemetery in Oak Brook.
