HENRICKSON, Kerry

Arizona Daily Sun, Flagstaff, AZ Saturday, January 29, 2011 Kerry (Thomson) Henrickson, 41, died Jan. 26, 2011, of cancer at her home in Flagstaff. She was born Nov. 19, 1969, in Kalispell, Mont., and lived with parents Bob and Jan Thomson in Great Falls, Mont., where she graduated from CMR High School in 1988. She graduated from the University of Montana, Missoula, in 1992, with degrees in zoology, Spanish and chemistry. She was a Smithsonian Fellow. She attended UC Berkeley, where she earned a master's degree in integrative biology and was also the captain of its NCAA national champion TaeKwonDo team. She later earned a master's degree from the UM School of Journalism in science writing and worked for local newspapers and Coffey Communications. She taught science writing at UM, and later taught biology at community colleges in Oregon and California. She was the Science Department chair at Cochise College, Sierra Vista, where she taught anatomy and physiology classes for seven years. She earned her Ph.D. in science education from Capella University in 2007, and in 2008 became a faculty member of Northern Arizona University, where she taught physiology and pathology. Her primary research interest was active learning methodologies designed to retain and advance physiology students in higher education. She was passionate about engaging students in their own learning, and teaching other higher education professionals to utilize active learning in their teaching. She asked her students, "What would you do if you knew you could not fail," encouraging them to do their very best and to contribute to the lives of others. She felt very privileged to guide undergraduates and her graduate students, including Aaron Tabor. She met the love of her life, Dr. Jim Henrickson, in Bisbee, where they lived after their marriage on May 18, 2003. The couple shared interests in medicine, guitar and music, house makeovers, pets and gardening. They were inseparable. She was spiritual, reflective, a glass artist, enjoyed cooking, and liked redesigning and rehabbing the houses and gardens where she and her husband lived. She is remembered as student-centered, bright, innovative, and full of energy and life. She is sorely missed by all who knew and loved her. Dr. Henrickson is survived by her husband, Jim; her parents, Jan and Bob Thomson of Great Falls, Mont.; four aunts; four uncles; sister-in-law Mary Henrickson (Steve Flagg) of Bloomington, Minn.; brothers-in-law Ed (Myrna) Henrickson Moorehead, Minn., and Dr. Myron (Joanne) Henrickson of Minneapolis; and numerous cousins, nephews and nieces. She was preceded in death by six grandparents and an uncle. Services will be held Saturday, Feb. 5, at 2 p.m., at Norvel Owens Mortuary, 914 E. Route 66, Flagstaff. Friends from the Sierra Vista-Bisbee area will celebrate her life at the Cochise College Sierra Vista Campus Student Union Community Center on Feb. 10 at 11 a.m. Another celebration of her life, and dispersal of her ashes, will be held in July on Flathead Lake in Montana. Those wishing to remember Dr. Henrickson through memorials can make contributions to the charity or organization of their choice. Condolences can be sent to www.norvel owensmortuary.com. Norvel Owens Mortuary is handling the arrangements.