Gary Wayne Henthorne

Gary Wayne Henthorne, 85, of Columbus, passed away after a hard-fought battle with cancer on Wednesday, September 23, 2026, at Country View of Sunbury in Sunbury, OH. He was born in Parkersburg, WV, a son of the late George and Mildred Letha (Madison) Henthorne.

Gary was happiest in the woods, a master marksman, and a skilled fisherman who loved nothing more than a day at the pond.

There wasn't much Gary couldn't drive, fix, build, or figure out, and he took real pride in doing a job right. His handiness was only matched by his generosity. He was always ready to lend a helping hand to family, friends, or strangers in need.

Gary was a wonderful storyteller who could captivate an audience, make people laugh, and leave them asking for one more tale. That gift grew out of his deep curiosity about people, about how things worked, and about the world around him.

He was a United States Army veteran serving in the 101st Airborne, and later retired as a police officer and detective in Columbus, where he worked several high-profile cases. His work was later featured in an episode of Unusual Suspects (Season 8, Episode 11).

Gary took great pride in his Masonic involvement, serving as Jr. Warden of Pleasant Valley Masonic Lodge and achieving the rank of 32nd Degree Mason with the Scottish Rite.

He is survived by three sons, Timmy Yeater (Lisa) of Waverly, WV, Tyson Marx of Sarasota FL, and James Henthorn (Leah) of Columbus, OH; a daughter, Cyndia Guinn (Charles) of Williamstown, WV; a sister, Phyllis Anthony (David) of Parkersburg WV; and a brother, Robert Henthorn of Mississippi.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers, Donald H. and Richard W. Henthorn; an infant brother, George T. Henthorn, Jr.; and a sister, Olive I. Martin.

A celebration of his life will be held 2:00 PM Saturday October 3, 2026 at Leavitt Funeral Home, Parkersburg. Inurnment will be at Dayton National Cemetery on Friday October 16, at 11:00 AM