Lavell Henderson, professor emeritus of biochemistry, died May 29 of a heart attack in the garage of his home in Sandy, Utah. It was his second major heart attack in 10 years. He was 81.
Henderson, who was associate dean of the College of Biological Sciences from 1978 until he retired from the University in 1984, never missed work because of illness, said professor of biochemistry Jim Suchs.
Henderson’s reliable attendance made sense; he was recognized nationally as a leader in nutritional science. He received a Borden Award in Nutrition in 1970. He served as president of the American Institute of Nutrition and chairman of the Nutrition Study Section of the National Institutes of Health.
Additionally, he served on the food and nutrition board of the National Academy of Sciences, the editorial board of the Journal of Nutrition and several committees of the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation.
“He was as honest as could be,” said Suchs, who started working with Henderson in 1972. “He did a good job of going out and establishing some good relations. He was an effective leader.”
“He was just a gem,” said Nancy Rowe, the biological sciences communications coordinator. Rowe worked with Henderson the six years he was dean.
Henderson received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Utah State University in 1939 and his master’s degree and doctorate in biochemistry from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He joined the University in 1963 as a professor in the biochemistry department. After 11 years as department head he became dean.
Henderson is survived by his wife, Maureen Criddle Henderson, daughters Janet Landerman, Jeanne Dickey and Linda Buchmamn, nine grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
“It was wonderful for almost 60 years,” said Maureen Henderson, to whom Lavell Henderson had been married since 1938.
Maureen Henderson requested that memorials be sent to the College of Biological Sciences’ L.M. Henderson Scholarship Fund.