Milton Dewey Henson

Milton Dewey Henson passed away on November 17, 2020, at the age of 85. He fought a courageous and upbeat battle against Lewy Body Dementia for the past 10 years. The family looks forward to remembering and celebrating Milton’s life with family and friends at a memorial service that will be held early next year. You are encouraged to sign the virtual guestbook and share memories on this page.Milton was born on May 6, 1935, in San Angelo, Texas, to Sherman and Willie Mae Henson. He graduated from Gustine (TX) High School in 1952 and continued his education at Tarleton State University, Howard College, and Texas Tech University. He was a member of the ROTC at Tarleton, and he also served in the Marine Corps Reserves. He married Betty Marzie Wright on July 7, 1956, in Big Spring, Texas, and they celebrated 64 years of marriage this past summer.While still in college, Milton began his lifelong career in the automotive and trucking industry as a mechanic for Tarbox Ford in Big Spring. He and Betty moved to Lubbock in 1957, where Milton worked for Louthan-Dowell Motors before becoming a partner in Wylie Hudman Livestock Transportation (WHLT). Milton was responsible for maintaining the entire WHLT truck and trailer fleet for over a decade. During that time, he was widely recognized as one of the best mechanics in the area – a reputation he maintained throughout his career, even after moving from the shop to the executive office! After the sale of WHLT, Milton joined the newly established dealership, West Texas Peterbilt (WTP), as an owner, vice-president, and general manager in 1972. During his nearly 40-year career with WTP, Milton became the majority owner and chairman of the board. He directed the growth of the company from one location to five dealership locations serving the Texas and Oklahoma panhandles, the Texas South Plains, and the Permian Basin. In 1992, WTP was recognized as Peterbilt’s North American Dealer of the Year. Milton served as Peterbilt Dealer Council Regional Chairman, and he was a member of the Peterbilt ATD 20 Group. He was renowned for his fairness and honesty in business. He recognized the value of serving his customers’ needs by providing excellent service and cultivating sincere life-long relationships. He valued his employees and treated them as indispensable members of the WTP family.Milton loved his family, and he attended every possible game, recital, concert, etc., of his children and grandchildren. He had a great – and very dry -sense of humor, and he was extremely generous with his resources and time. He and Betty enjoyed traveling all over the world with their close friends Don and Pauline McInturff. They have been members of First United Methodist Church since 1957 and have made lifelong friendships as members of the Homebuilders Sunday school class. Milton was also a member of the Lubbock Lions Club.Milton is survived by his wife, Betty; two children: Debbie and Preston Love Jr. of Boerne and Jim and Diane Henson of Lubbock; four grandchildren: Kayleigh Love and Preston Love III (Trey), both of Dallas; Meredith Henson of New York City and Garrett Henson of Dallas; and by his sister, Mojie Hapgood of Fort Fairfield, ME. Milton was preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Lynn Henson.The family wishes to thank the many dedicated people of Carillon Senior Living and Hospice of Lubbock and Alesia Barr for their compassionate care for Milton during his illness.