James Hennings Obituary, Death – In Des Moines, Iowa, at UnityPoint Hospice – Taylor House, James Marlin Hennings, 81, died away on May 17, 2023. Tuesday, May 23, 2023, at Ankeny Presbyterian Church (317 SE Trilein Dr), a memorial service will start at 11:00 a.m. The visitation will start at 10:00 a.m., an hour before the service. The Ankeny Memorial Gardens will serve as Jim’s ultimate resting place.
Jim relocated to Davenport West High School in 1971 and later earned a Master’s degree from the University of Nebraska in 1974 while working as a teacher there. Before retiring in 1997, he remained at Davenport West and oversaw the math department for a while. Over the years, he taught hundreds of pupils who appreciated having a math instructor who could make math interesting.
Former students frequently sent him thank-you notes that contained lists of “Hennings Originals” quotes that he had frequently recited in class throughout the years. He also developed a keen interest in the mathematical proportions of pyramids, which prompted him to present the subject at conferences for math educators and start a collection of miniature pyramids.
Beth and David, the couple’s two children, were the center of Jim and Marge’s life. Over the years, he nearly never missed a softball, baseball, volleyball, basketball, or band performance. Over the years, he continued to enjoy keeping up with his grandsons’ musical and athletic pursuits. It seems appropriate that he would remember viewing a video of his grandson participating in the Drake Relays as one of his final memories. In addition to his wife Marge, Jim is also survived by his siblings Jay, Joy, Jon, and Judy, as well as his daughter Beth Akers (Jason), son David (Tara), and grandchildren Haley, Adam, Kate, and Devon.
