Ferrol C. Henson, 70, of Ephrata, Washington, passed away October 26, 2026 leaving behind a life defined by hard work, grit, strength, loyalty, and above all, an incredible love for his family.

Ferrol was born in Anchorage, Alaska, on May 18, 1956 to Joy Henson and Dwayne Henson. Ferrol is survived by his wife, Terrie Henson; her son, Richard Bannon and his wife, Ellen, and their children, Harley and Keva; and her daughter, Melissa Kipp, and her son, Elton. Ferrol's daughter, Amanda Kepler and her husband, RJ Kepler, and their children, Caden, Sydney, and Paityn; his son, Tyler Henson and his wife, Ji Henson, and their children, Ethan and Jacob; and his brother, Will Henson and his wife, Clicy, and their children, D.W. and Hannah.

Ferrol was never a man made for an ordinary life. He was strong-willed, stubborn as hell, hardworking, and believed that if something needed to be done, you figured out how to do it and got it done.

As a deep-water salvage and underwater construction worker, his career took him beneath the surface of the ocean and out to sea, where the conditions could be unforgiving and the work dangerous, to places most people will never see. He was built for hard things.

One of the most remarkable chapters of Ferrol's career was his work connected to the 1989 Exxon Valdez following its catastrophic grounding in Alaska. The disaster became one of the most infamous oil spills in American history, and Ferrol was among the skilled workers on the scene.

But his greatest legacy won't be found in the ships he salvaged or the work he completed. No job, no ship, and no accomplishment ever compared to what mattered most to Ferrol:

His family.

As a father, Ferrol was hard on his children but there was a reason behind it. He didn't protect them from every fall, he let them make mistakes, and learn the hard way because he knew life wasn't always going to be easy on them. He wanted his children to be strong enough to stand on their own when he couldn't be there to catch them. He taught them that respect is earned and loyalty isn't something you give away easily. If you gave your word, it meant something. If you loved someone, you stood beside them. And when life knocked you down, you got your ass back up. He is his daughter, Amanda's hero: the man whose strength helped shape hers, whose lessons became part of who she is, and whose voice will remain with her for the rest of her life.

As a Papa, it is no secret how quickly he softened. His grandchildren were his world. He was their biggest fan, encouraging them every step of the way and celebrating their accomplishments.

Ferrol had two mottos in life: the 7 P's - " Proper Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance" and "All great memories are made from bad decisions done with best friends." Those two things sound contradictory, but there was a rhyme to his reason.

He believed in planning ahead and doing things right, while also knowing you can't control every outcome and that some of the greatest moments in life are a result of questionable decisions with your favorite people. He lived his life on his own terms and worked harder than most. He was stubborn and tough and honest. He was also fiercely loyal and loved his family deeply and that is his greatest legacy.

His stories will be told. His stubbornness will make us laugh. His lessons will be passed down. He will forever be his daughter's hero.

His absence will be felt in ways words will never be able to explain. And the love he left behind will never leave us.

After a lifetime spent working beneath the water, salvaging what others couldn't, building what others couldn't see, providing for the people he loved, and teaching his children how to survive this life without him, there couldn't be a more fitting goodbye:

Rest easy. The work is finally done. You can come up for air now.