Thomas Allen Hennig

passed away after a courageous battle against pancreatic cancer. Tom waged two successful wars with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and carried those scars bravely into the fight with cancer. He was the beloved husband of Lee Ann Hennig and proud and loving father of Thomas Austin Hennig. He is also survived by his sister Mary Ida Lobaugh of Sinton, Texas, his brother William Edward Hennig of Austin, Texas, as well as loving brothers and sisters- in- law, nieces and nephews, cousins, great nieces and nephews, and wonderful friends and neighbors, especially Joan and Marty LaVor, and Sarah DeRiggi. Tom was born in Sinton, Texas on November 18, 1945, the son of the late Berthold W. and Frances P. Hennig. His lifelong love of astronomy was sparked by his first experience as a young boy in looking through a telescope. He pursued his passion for astronomy and space science into his college/university degree programs at the University of Texas and Purdue University. His career at the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency evolved from its inception as The Army Map Service (January 1968) to The Defense Mapping Agency to the National Imagery and Mapping Agency. He was a member of the Senior Executive Service and served in various capacities of leadership throughout his career. He was the recipient of several awards among which were The Distinguished Civilian Service Medal and the Meritorious Civilian Service Award. But his proudest career accomplishment was as Project Manager of the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) which successfully flew on the Space Shuttle Endeavour, Mission STS 99 in February 2000. The SRTM is on display at the NASM Udvar-Hazy center. After 38 years of service at NGA, he retired in 2005. Following his retirement from NGA, he served as a consultant with Digital Globe and Geo Eye. Tom was devoted to his family and treasured his experiences of being a father to Tommy. He enjoyed chasing Total Solar Eclipses and comets as well as sharing his hobbies of photography and amateur radio with his friends. He cherished his country, honored those who defended her, worked every day of his life toward those ideals, and never compromised his principles. A memorial service will be held in Woodsboro, Texas in November, to celebrate his life. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions be made in Tom's memory to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society or to a charity of your choice.

Tributes

Thomas Allen Hennig

November 18, 1945 - September 26, 2012