Jaen Henry remembered at North Beach

With about 200 people singing his favorite tune — the North Beach High School fight song — Jaen Henry was honored and remembered in a celebration of his years of service to the local school district and scores of students.

Henry died earlier this month at the age of 83. On Saturday, he and his wife Marjorie were lauded by those who knew him best as Mr. Hyak.

“Jaen and Marjorie Henry have come to be known as Mr. and Mrs. Hyak. Though not born or raised here, they have made Ocean Shores their home since 1986. Not having children of their own and being retired, they chose to adopt the students of the North Beach School District,” said the memorial service program handed out to those in attendance.

Also presented was a two-page list of all the ways Henry helped the school district over two decades, from attending every School Board meeting, to maintaining the booster boards in the gym, making nearly every game and sporting event.

“This is a celebration,” said Dave Wayman, master of ceremonies and one of the speakers as North Beach assistant superintendent. “Jaen was specific as he always was. He wanted it done that way, and that’s the way we are going to do it. And he would be happy about that.”

School Board Chairman Scott Sage, a longtime Henry friend, said it was fitting the celebration of Jaen’s life was held in the gym “where he and Marjorie spent countless hours watching the Seahawk and Hyak volleyball and basketball teams perform; watched the bands perform; watched choir performances, assemblies, and class after class graduate.”

Noting the large audience, Sage said it “demonstrates the number of students’ lives that Jaen touched.”

“Without question, we all owe Jaen a debt of gratitude for all he has done to make our community a better place to live,” Sage continued. “Jaen had wonderful sense of community. He understood that an important element of any community is its schools and the education provided for the youth of the community.”

Sage urged those in the crowd to use that same passion in giving back to the community, “just as Jaen was passionate about education and the students of the North Beach School District.”

North Beach Supt. Stan Pinnick told of how he first met Jaen Henry when he was first hired 15 years ago, and Henry was the first one in his office pledging to be “part of the solution.”

“From that point on, he became a team member to work with us for the best interests of our community,” Pinnick said. Henry worked for transportation, technology, and modernization school levies, and the bond levy hat led to the new Ocean Shores Elementary School and the renovation of Pacific Beach Elementary.

“His love was for all kids, and for all kids to go forward,” Pinnick said.

High School Principal Brett Mackey also stressed the theme of celebration: “Yes, Hyak nation lost a family member last week. We all know how hard that is. But today, we celebrate. We celebrate a very unique individual.”