Willis Russell Henry of Marshfield, MA died peacefully, surrounded by his family, on Sunday, September 8th at South Shore Hospital in Weymouth, just two days after his 80th birthday.

Will would have you believe that he was born under the boardwalk during a hurricane in Atlantic City. While the boardwalk and hurricane details are still unconfirmed, he was born in Atlantic City, NJ, to Barbara Henry (née Houk) of Carey, OH and Robert Henry of Enid, OK on September 6, 1944. The first of four sons, Will grew up outside of Columbus, Ohio and spent the summers in Michigan with his grandparents catching fish at their lakehouse. He attended high school at Millersburg Military Institute in Kentucky, and college at Ohio University, in Athens, OH, where he joined Sigma Chi fraternity, and went on to receive a Masters in Education and Acting. It was there that Will met the love of his life and partner in all things, Karel Rowe.

After graduation, Will moved to the west coast to pursue theater and creative adventures in San Francisco's Haight Ashbury district, where he spent the late 1960s. Karel soon joined Will there; later, in 1971 they moved in with friends in Beacon Hill, Boston, where Will was proud to secure a job at Brattle Bookshop. A year later they relocated to Buzzards Bay, and then again to Marshfield, MA to stay with Karel's parents and save money. It was at this time that Karel's older brother Charlie "Ranny" Rowe invited Will and Karel to help clean out the basement of his antique shop in Newport, RI. There they discovered a trove of antique blue ink bottles, which they brought along with some other treasures from family and friends to sell at the Boston Flea Market at Faneuil Hall. This was the seed that soon flourished into Will's lifelong calling and passion for antiques. Soon the couple were making trips to visit Will's mother in Ohio, who also was an amateur antique dealer and collector. They would buy beautiful old country pie safes from contacts of Barbara's, and truck them back to Marshfield to sell at flea markets and shows around New England. They soon opened their own antique shop, South River Primitives in Marshfield, and in the fall of 1972, Will and Karel married.

Through their love of antiques, they found a new community of friends making the rounds at local flea markets, antique shows and auctions. Charles and Mary Grace Carpenter first introduced them to Shaker design, sparking an enduring passion. It was around this time in the 1970s that Will first had the opportunity to meet the Shakers living at Sabbathday Lake in Maine. By his account, that day Karel was wearing an ethereal chiffon dress; struck by her appearance, the Shaker sisters pulled her and Will aside to chat and share lunch. Will and Karel continued to grow their business, with Will pivoting to auctioneering in 1975, a natural fit for his theatrical training and talents. In 1980, they founded Willis Henry Auctions, Inc. and in 1982 they held their first Shaker antiques auction, which became an annual event for over 40 years. Will would go on to become one of the foremost experts on Shaker furniture in the world, and was also known for his detailed knowledge in many other areas of antiques.

In 1984, Will and Karel welcomed their first son Tyler and soon after purchased an old farmhouse in Pembroke, MA where they would host many auctions under giant tents in the yard. As a child Tyler remembers these events fondly as being like the circus coming to town in his own backyard, with family and friends all lending a hand. In 1990, Will and Karel welcomed their second son, Caleb, who Will referred to as "his little guy." Caleb was born with special needs, and Will could not have been a more devoted father and lifelong advocate for him. Will and Karel continued to work together and completed their final Shaker auction this past July after 51 years of marriage. In the last years of Will's life his focus turned from the business of antiques to some of the pastimes he always enjoyed with his friends and family like traveling, fishing, gardening and music.

Will's love of antiques and history played a large role in his choice to become an auctioneer, but it was his love of people and their personal stories that fueled his passion. Will made friends wherever he went. It seemed like every day he had a new story to tell about someone he had just met, to whom everyone should be introduced. He was always connecting people through their common interests and experiences, and he never wanted anyone to feel alone. He was a gregarious, funny storyteller and performer with an empathetic, introspective, and creative heart. Will was a caring father and husband and would do anything for those he loved. He loved to surprise friends and family with unique trinkets and presents and frequently brought flowers and pastries to his son and daughter-in-law, Tyler and Annelise, or a new maraca he had made or found for his son Caleb. He shared his love of music, especially the Blues, with his whole family and he would take Caleb to every live music event that he could find. He was a big fan of the "drop-in" and would show up at both the best and worst of times just to tell you he was thinking about you or wanted to hear your voice. He believed in serendipity and that our experiences have significance beyond what we can understand, and he was always looking for those deeper meanings.

Willis is survived by his wife Karel Rowe Henry; his eldest son Tyler Bingham Henry and his wife Annelise Katherine Whitley; his younger son Charles Caleb Bingham Henry; his brothers Stephen Henry, Thomas Henry, and Peter Henry; and many other extended family and loved ones.

Willis was preceded in death by his father Robert Henry, mother Barbara Henry (née Houk), mother-in-law Claire Rowe, father-in-law Charles Rowe, and sisters-in-law Cheryl Rowe and Kelly Henry.

A reception will be held on Saturday, September 21st from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. followed by a Celebration of Life with remembrances at 1:00 p.m. at the MacDonald Funeral Home, 1755 Ocean Street in Marshfield.

In lieu of flowers, donations should be made to organizations that have supported Will's loved ones, including Perkins School for the Blind, the Alzheimer's Foundation of America, or a charity of your choice.