Catholic lay leader Paul Henkels dies

Jan 21, 2009 / 23:01 pm

Paul Henkels, a Knight of Malta who sat on the boards of organizations such as the St. Thomas More Law Center, died in his home in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania on January 11 at the age of 84.

Henkels, who served in the Army Signal Corps in France in World War II, was the chairman of the worldwide engineering, construction, and maintenance firm Henkels & McCoy, Inc.

He was a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Governors of Temple University Hospital, the Lejeune Institute, Vatican Observatory Foundation, the Arts & Letters Advisory Council of Notre Dame, and the American College of Louvain University in Belgium. Henkels was also a supporter of CNA.

An expert in labor relations, Henkels received honorary degrees from Chestnut Hill College and St. Charles Borromeo Seminary and was awarded the Award for Excellence by the Commission for Independent Colleges and Universities.

He was also a long-standing member of the St. Thomas More Law Center’s Citizens Advisory Board.

Henkels is survived by his wife of 51 years Barbara, ten children, and 27 grandchildren.

“The Thomas More Law Center mourns the loss of a great Christian man,” said Richard Thompson, President and Chief Counsel of the Law Center. Paul Henkels was a man fighting in the arena – not afraid.  He will be missed.”