Echoes of Flight and Melody: Get to Know David Henemier
To sit with David Henemier is to journey across continents, soar through clouds, and wander the winding path of a life both adventurous and deeply thoughtful. Born in Collingsworth, New Jersey, David was the younger brother to Janice and Marilyn, and music first found him at age ten, when he tucked a violin beneath his chin and began to play.
David’s childhood took a remarkable turn when his father’s work moved the family to Pakistan—a world away from the streets he’d known. Those years overseas were full of discovery, shaping his curiosity and giving him stories few could imagine.
After high school, David’s path brought him back to the U.S. for college at Wheaton, but soon enough, he was drawn back to Pakistan to attend Temple, where he could study tuition-free. Earning his degree, David then answered the call to serve: he joined the U.S. Army and took to the skies, flying missions in Vietnam and Germany. While stationed in Germany, he met his first wife, and together they eventually returned to America, where David transitioned from military life to a new chapter as a teacher.
For 25 years, he inspired students as an aviation instructor and then as Chief Flight Instructor at Eastern Kentucky University, lighting the spark of flight in countless young pilots.
When his first marriage ended, retirement brought its own surprises. David reconnected with a high school friend, Kathy, and their love story gave him eight happy years before she passed away from cancer. Through heartbreak, David returned to his violin after three decades away, finding comfort in improvisation and the joy of making music with others, especially his friend Wanda Barnett.
Books fill his quieter moments, and music still fills the air. Since joining Dominion Senior Living of Richmond in May 2024, David’s gentle wisdom and spontaneous violin melodies have become part of our daily rhythm. He finds delight in pet therapy visits and the company of friends, old and new.
David’s story is proof that life is full of unexpected chapters, each with its own adventures, lessons, and songs. We’re grateful to share this one with him, and can’t wait to hear all the new melodies he’ll create here at Dominion.
