Thomas Henry Henderson Jr.

Tom Henderson passed away on February 12, 2016, surrounded by his loving family after a long battle with Lymphoma. Tom was born on February 4, 1939 in Birmingham, Alabama to Edna and Thomas Henderson. He spent his childhood years in Birmingham and attended Auburn University where he played basketball for the Auburn Tigers graduating in 1961 with a BS in Business Administration. After college, he worked for the American Pipe Company saving money to attend the University of Alabama Law School where he obtained his law degree in 1966 and later he attended George Washington University where he received a L.L.M in 1987. Tom met Robert Kennedy, Jr. while attending the University of Alabama and at his urging, he went to Washington DC where he began his 17 year career with the United States Justice Department. He held several senior positions with the Justice Department and during his tenure he served as the Chief of the Public Integrity Section, where he was responsible for corruption prosecutions in the United States. After leaving the Justice Department, Tom served for four years as the Bar Counsel of the District of Columbia where he prosecuted any of the 60,000 members of the District of Columbia Bar for misconduct. In 1988, Tom became the Chief Executive of the American Trial Lawyers Association (ATLA) now named the American Association for Justice (AAJ). During his 18 year tenure with ATLA/AAJ Tom was a fearless and passionate advocate to safeguard victim’s rights and strengthen the civil justice system. Immediately following the events of 2001, Tom helped ATLA create Trial Lawyers Care, the largest legal pro bono effort in the history of the United States, providing free legal services to victims of the September 11 disaster seeking assistance from the Victim Compensation Fund. Tom retired from ATLA in 2005 and was called back to AAJ in 2009 where he served as the CEO for another year retiring again in 2010. Before retiring, Tom was a member of the District of Columbia and Alabama Bar Associations. He also served as the Vice Chair and Board Member of the American Society of Association Executives. He is a former President of Christmas in April now named Rebuilding America. In 2003, Tom was the recipient of the Key Award, the highest honor bestowed upon an association executive by the American Society of Association Executives. In 2004, he served as a Distinguished Practitioner in Resident at the University of Alabama Law School and served on the Board of Trustees of the University of Alabama Law School in 2004-2008. In 2004, he established the Thomas H. Henderson, Jr. Endowed Scholarship at the University of Alabama Law School for second year law students with financial need, with preference given to individuals from under-represented groups in the legal system, who are interested in representing individuals of personal injury. Tom also served on the Board of Directors and Board of Trustees for Esquire Bank in Brooklyn, New York. In 1988, Tom married Paulette Maehara and together they enjoyed traveling and their work in the association community in Washington DC. They resided in Chevy Chase, Maryland for twenty-two years. Tom and Paulette blended their family of four daughters and three beloved cocker spaniels and together they enjoyed many years of family fun. Tom was a compassionate, caring and fun loving person whose sense of adventure was always present. He loved hiking and in August 1994 at 55, he traveled to Tanzania, Africa and successfully summited Mount Kilimanjaro. He also hiked the Grand Canyon (RTR), El Capitan and one of the Alaska glaciers with his hiking buddies. In 2010, Tom and Paulette built and moved into their dream home in Berkeley Hall Plantation in Bluffton, SC. They enjoyed playing golf and traveling with friends in the Berkeley Hall community. Tom volunteered for four years for the RBC Heritage and the Players Amateur Golf tournaments. These were wonderful years for Tom. He was so proud of his daughters, Ashley and Michelle and step daughters, Natasha and Elizabeth and his five grandchildren. He is survived by his wife of twenty seven years, Paulette; sister Ann Warren Spence, Charlotte, NC; daughters, Ashley Henderson, Oakland, CA; Michelle Hallinan, Menlo Park; step daughters, Natasha Maehara, Brisbane, AU; Elizabeth Maehara, Brooklyn, NY and son-in-laws James O’Dowd, Brett Hallinan and Peter Carter. Grandson’s Jimmy O’Dowd, Jesse O’Dowd, Finn Hallinan, Keoni Carter and Remy Mae Hallinan and their loving cocker spaniel, Peaches Henderson. Tom wishes to express his deepest gratitude to Dr.’s Bruce Cheson, Georgetown University, Washington DC, Gary Thomas, Hilton Head and Paul Long, Hilton Head and Hospice Care of the Low Country and Hospice & Palliative Care Compassus and the Berkeley Hall community for their loving support. In lieu of flowers please consider gifts to the following organizations: Lymphoma Research Foundation, 115 Broadway, Suite 1301, New York, New York 10006, Dr. Gary Thomas Family Scholarship at the College of Charleston, Attention Karen Jones, 66 George Street, Charleston, SC 29424 or the Thomas H. Henderson, Jr Endowed Scholarship at the University of Alabama School of Law, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35487.