May 27th, 1942 – April, 11th 2023 (80)

Obituary

Jon Truesbury Henrikson, 80 of Blackey, passed away Tuesday, April 11, 2023, at the Greg and Noreen Wells Hospice Care Center in Hazard, Kentucky. Jon was the son of the late Vernie and Lois Truesbury Henrikson. He worked for Appalachian Volunteers to help Appalachia, he was a past president of KEA, very active in the Carcassone Community Center, and active with the KEA Retired Teachers. Surviving is his wife: Loretta Fugate Henrikson; 2 sons: Jon Oakley (Shirley) Henrikson of Hallie and Adam Truesbury (Crystal) Henrikson of Jackhorn; 7 grandchildren: Tekoa, Taylor, Layne, Jackson, Alli, Andrew, and Sydney along with a host of other relatives and friends to mourn his passing. Jon was preceded in death by 1 brother: Gene Henrikson. Funeral 5:00 O’clock P.M. Thursday, April 13, 2023, at the Little Bull Creek Old Regular Baptist Church with Jim Fields, Allen Fugate, Elwood Cornett, Robert Holcomb, and others officiating. Visitation 4:00 P.M. – 5:00 P.M. Thursday, April 13, 2023, at the Little Bull Creek Old Regular Baptist Church.

Community Write-Up

Raised in Chicago and educated at Harvard, Jon Henrikson came to Carcassonne in the mid-1960s as part of the VISTA program. Here he met his future wife and like many others, knew the mountains were his home. Jon was a charter member of the Carcassonne Community Center Council, helping to preserve the old school building and establish it as one of the most historic locales for the preservation of folklore, music, tales and dance. Carcassonne is known now as the site of the longest-running community-sponsored square dances in Kentucky, and possibly the United States. Jon served as chairman of the community center council until approximately 2016. Jon was also statewide President of the Kentucky Education Association, and taught in the Letcher County School system for many years, including Carcassonne Elementary School in the late 1960s. Jon was a light to the community, county and state. He will be missed by a grateful community of family and friends.