Arlo M. Hennings

1921 – 2009

AUGUSTA — Arlo M. Hennings, 88, of Farmington, died Wednesday, Nov. 11, at the Maine Veterans’ Home in Augusta with his family by his side. Arlo’s Y-DNA is registered with the Family Tree DNA worldwide genealogy project.

He was born on Jan. 31, 1921, in Phillips, the son of Ralph Waldo and Georgia Myrtle (Mitchell) Hennings. At the age of two, his family moved to Farmington, where he attended local schools, graduating from Farmington High School in 1941.

Before being drafted in the U.S. Army during World War II in his early twenties, Arlo worked at American Bosch in Massachusetts. He served in the Pacific. Upon his return home in 1946, he went to work at Forster’s Manufacturing in Strong. He later put his mechanical skills to work at Horn Motors in Farmington. He was proud to become the first automotive instructor at Central Maine Vocational Technical Institute in Auburn, which he did for 18 years. While commuting to work from his home, he attended classes to earn a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in vocational technical education in 1976. He also taught night school welding classes and coached the ski team. After retirement in 1982, he continued to teach welding and metallurgy at International Paper Co. for 10 years.

A true “Jack of all trades,” it was well known that he could fix anything. He was pleased to help anyone who showed up at the door with their mechanical dilemmas. Arlo loved to build things and in his “spare time” he could be found in his shop working on a project. He saw no reason to buy something if you could copy it and make it with your own hands. Boats, water skis, wood splitters, “go-anywhere vehicles” and a camp were among the many things that he constructed without benefit of a blueprint. He was happiest when he was figuring something out. His garden was a source of great pride and he took delight in having the earliest crop of vegetables in the area.

Arlo believed in his community. He served as a Farmington selectman and was on the board of directors at Titcomb Mountain in Farmington, where he also taught skiing and helped maintain ski lifts, the bombardier and kitchen equipment. He was instrumental in the installation of the first T-bar. He was a natural born teacher for everything from snow and water skiing to the proper way to handle and fire a gun.

He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Pauline (Palmer) Hennings, whom he married on May 3, 1947, in Wilton; three daughters, Sharon Provost and her husband, Gordon, of Skowhegan, Sheila Leavitt and her husband, Andrew, of New Vineyard and Lura Manter and her husband, Reginald, of Mercer; grandchildren, Grant and Ashley Provost and Jason Leavitt; and stepgrandchildren, John and Dan Leavitt.

He was predeceased by a brother, William Earl Hennings, and his wife, Forestine.