Obituary for Henry Hainzinger

Henry Hainzinger

January 3, 1935 – February 21, 2020

Henry Eldon Hainzinger, resident of Ponca City, passed away on Friday, February 21, 2020. He was 85 years old.

Henry was born on January 3, 1935 in Ochelata, Oklahoma to his parents, Eldon and Dora (Ickleberry) Hainzinger. He was a proud member of the Cherokee Tribe. He attended Bartlesville schools and at an early age picked up a rope. He became a talented calf roper with the help of neighbor, Art Saylor. He also stayed with World Champion roper, Fred Lowry, for a time and continued to build his roping skills. Henry was a gold card member of the Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA). Clem McSpadden once said, “Henry was the best match roper he’d ever seen.” Henry would give the credit to his horses, Big John, Hole in the Neck Joe, and Alamo.

One Saturday in August 1962, Henry won a roping “and had a little bit of money” so he and Ora Lee picked up Henry’s good friend, George Lorenz, and Henry’s little sister, Dollie. They drove to Miami, OK where he and Ora Lee were married. Henry and Ora Lee spent the next 58 years going to rodeos with their kids and grandkids, working with his bulldozers, and taking care of each other. Henry had a bulldozing business and made many oil locations and stock ponds in and around Osage County. He made all of Ceja Corporation’s oilfield locations and did their dozer work for over 50 years. Whether it was on a location or in a rodeo arena, the conditions couldn’t get too muddy for him.

Henry was blessed with many lifelong friends. He loved when people stopped by to visit and people loved to hear Henry’s stories. Most of all, Henry loved his family and kept tabs on all of their pursuits.

Henry is survived by his wife, Ora Lee of Ponca City, son, Hank and wife Sara Hainzinger of Ponca City, daughter, Nancy and husband Jeff Todd of Tuttle, OK, grandchildren, Sadie, Mary Lee, and HL Hainzinger and Haines, Kathryn, and Gretchen Todd, sister, Dollie Wooddell, brothers, Joe and Mike Hainzinger, and family friend, Barbara Mayes.

He was preceded in death by his parents, sister, Donna Wickham, and family friend, Hertha Adams.

Pall bearers will be Marty Hainzinger, Brian Hainzinger, Michaul Hainzinger, Willy Beeler, John Paul Donelson, and Tim Ohm.

Honorary pallbearers will be George Lorenz, Ike Anderson, Cotton Lunsford, Frank Rorie, Frank Childers, Joe Colby, Joe Theobald, Terry Postarch, and Darrell Adams.

A funeral ceremony for Henry will be held on Saturday, February 29, 2020 at 10:00 am at the Trout Funeral Home Chapel. Following the ceremony, he will be laid to rest at Odd Fellows Cemetery in Ponca City. Friends and loved ones may pay their respects at the funeral home on Thursday, February 27th from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm. The family will be available to greet friends at the funeral home on Friday evening from 6-7pm.

Arrangements are under the direction of Trout Funeral Home & Crematory.

Source: Trout Funeral Home