Obituary of Owen Christopher Hennigar
With love and sadness, we announce the passing of Owen “Cookie” Hennigar on April 18, 2025 at the age of 84. Born in Greenwich on February 26, 1941 he was the son of the late Wendell and Mary (Williams) Hennigar.
Cookie touched the lives of many Valley residents as both a long-serving school teacher and game official, sending several generations of hockey players to the penalty box during the winter months and softball and baseball players back to the dugout during the summer.
He was the loving husband for over 60 years to Hughanne (King) Hennigar, their marriage preceded by a courtship that began when they caught each others eye in the Acadia rink at a public skate during the winter of 1955.
Following graduation from Cornwallis High School in 1958 and a brief employment at the Dominion Atlantic Railway, Cookie discovered a love of teaching by taking a temporary position at a school on Gaspereau Mountain in 1960. He enrolled at Acadia University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education, and later a Masters of Education from Dalhousie University. During the summers of those early years, he taught English for Frontier College while working on the railway in Saskatchewan and in lumber camps in Northern Ontario. Over a teaching career that spanned thirty years, all at Central Kings, Dad was often described as a favourite (if demanding) teacher by his students.
A fixture in officiating hockey, softball and baseball at all levels in the province, Cookie was recognized by Softball Canada in 1997 for his 40 years of umpiring and service to the sport, which continued for many years after. That same year he was inducted into the Baseball Nova Scotia Hall of Fame for his work to establish an organization of umpires in the province. He was also selected to umpire at the 1977 Canada Games, and for many years looked after the training and scheduling of referees in the Valley. He played hockey for Acadia and for many years after in the Oldtimers league, and was inducted into the Acadia Hockey Honor Roll. An avid curler and golfer, Cookie served as President of Ken-Wo Golf Club.
While he had a notorious temper on the golf course, Cookie was quick to laugh, loved a good joke or prank, and most enjoyed the time he spent with family and friends—especially on the golf course, over a game of cards, or at Sunken Lake.
In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his brother Eric and sister Theo. He is survived by Hughanne and sons Jay (Yarmouth), Troy (Ottawa) and Matthew (Kathleen Batstone, St Catharines); brother Terry (Heather) Hennigar; sisters Dawn (Doug) Coldwell and Marianne (Aubrey) Dakin; grandchildren Ryan Hennigar, Ethan Hennigar, Emily Hennigar and Baily/Aether Hennigar.
In accordance with Dad’s wishes, cremation has taken place and a private family burial will take place at Lower Horton Cemetery at a future date.
The family wishes to express their appreciation to the staff at Evergreen Home for Special Care. Donations in memory may be made to the Alzheimer Society of Nova Scotia. Arrangements have been entrusted to Serenity Funeral Home , 198 Coldbrook Village Park Drive, Coldbrook, NS
