In Memoriam: Longtime Rumsonite, Peter ‘Pop’ Henderson, 90

Longtime Rumsonite Peter “Pop” Henderson, also of Palm Beach, FL, passed away peacefully on Nov. 24 following a severe stroke. He was 90.

“The beloved father of six children, 18 grandchildren, eight great- grandchildren, and husband to Maureen Kennedy Henderson, to whom he was married for 62 years, Pop, as Peter was known, lived a full life … Pop served on the boards of Monmouth Beach Club, where he was the men’s tennis doubles champion, The Sea Bright Tennis Club, and The Rumson Country Club, where he was club champion in paddle tennis. He also served as vice chairman of Riverview Medical Center. Later in life, Pop loved spending time at the Sea Bright Beach Club and The Bath & Tennis Club in Palm Beach, where he entertained so many lifelong friends during long lunches.”
Loved ones of Pop Henderson in his obituary

Born and raised in South Orange, Pop was the youngest of seven children. He attended Seton Hall University, “where he liked to tell his kids he was the last one cut from the National Championship basketball team.” He was a captain in the U.S. Army at Fort Monmouth and started his career at Henderson Brothers, Incorporated, the family-owned specialist firm on the trading floor of the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), where his great grandfather John C. Henderson first purchased a seat in 1862.

Pop worked his way up to become president of Henderson Brothers, overseeing all trading in a multitude of stocks including Ford Motor Company, American Express and Berkshire Hathaway. Henderson Brothers was the oldest and eventually became the second largest Specialist firm on the NYSE until it was bought by Labranche & Co. in March of 2000.

Pop was pre-deceased by: his wife, Maureen; his four brothers, Charles, Robert, Joseph and John.

He is survived by: his sisters, Mary Seaman-Meyer and M. Anita Gassert; his loving children, Peter (Gracie), Goose (Kristina), Ted (Wendy), Jim (Carol), Doug and Margot (Aaron); his grandchildren, Peter, Alex, Shamus, Ryan, Trevor, Liza, Charlotte, Paige, Teddy, Connor, Emily, Madeline, Graham, Pierce, Hadley, Campbell, Piper, and Victoria; and his great-grandchildren, Michael, Kennedy, Harper, Kiera, Lilly, Madeline, Elise, and Ryan.

Funeral services will be held at Holy Cross Church in Rumson at 11 a.m. on Friday, Nov. 29. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Parker Family Health Center in Red Bank in Peter’s memory.

— Edited obituary prepared by family via John E. Day Funeral Home