Funeral services for Mr. Thomas Edward “Tom” Henigan will be held at 11:00 am on Friday, August 21, 2026, at Big Creek Baptist Church, Pollock, with Reverends Clay Hutto and David Guillot officiating. Visitation will begin at 8:00 a.m. Interment will follow in Big Creek Cemetery, Pollock, under the direction of Rush Funeral Home, Pineville.
Mr. Henigan, 86, of Bentley, Louisiana, passed away peacefully on August 14, 2026, in Alexandria, Louisiana.
Tom was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, veteran, firefighter, craftsman, outdoorsman, and friend. But above all else, he was a family man who loved his people deeply and quietly showed that love in a thousand different ways.
Tom married his high school sweetheart, Bonnie Henigan, on August 16, 1958. They shared a lifetime of love, adventure, hard work, and friendship until Bonnie’s passing on May 15, 2020. Together, they built a life full of memories and spent countless days traveling, working, exploring the outdoors, and simply enjoying each other’s company.
Tom was a proud veteran who answered the call to serve his country at a young age. He enlisted in the National Guard in 1955, and was honorably discharged before enlisting in the United States Army in 1957, as an active-duty soldier. During his military service, he served as a lineman and earned recognition as a marksman, along with a Good Conduct Medal. He proudly served as a Korean War Veteran and carried the values of his military service throughout the rest of his life.
After his military service, Tom dedicated his career to the Baton Rouge Fire Department. He began his career as a firefighter and worked his way through the ranks, eventually becoming a District Chief. He dedicated himself to the people he served and took great pride in his work and the many people he worked alongside throughout his career.
Tom was also an exceptionally talented carpenter. He worked with his hands his entire life and could build, repair, or create just about anything. Even after retirement, carpentry remained a big part of his life. Bonnie was often right beside him-his unofficial assistant, although everyone who knew them knew she was really the boss. Together, they spent countless hours taking on carpentry jobs and projects.
When Tom wasn’t working, you could often find him outdoors. He loved fishing, hunting, gardening, wildlife, mountains, traveling, and just about anything that allowed him to be outside. He and Bonnie loved traveling and made friends everywhere they went. Some of Tom’s favorite adventures were the simple ones-packing sandwiches with Bonnie and taking the boat out for the day. His good friends, Roger Anders and Quinton Randall, were his partners in crime and sidekicks through many of those adventures.
Tom also loved music and playing his guitar with good friends. He had a way of making friendships that lasted, and he treasured the people who shared his love of music, the outdoors, traveling, and life.
Tom was one of a kind. He was incredibly sweet, calm, and respectful to everyone he met. He was also stubborn and hardheaded enough to make sure nobody ever forgot who they were dealing with. He secretly loved the gossip but would never admit it, and somehow managed to listen to everything while letting you believe he wasn’t listening at all.
Tom leaves behind a family who will deeply miss his quiet presence, stories, humor, stubbornness, wisdom, and the countless ways he showed his love. He served his country and community, cherished his family, built things that lasted with his own two hands, and lived a life full of adventure, friendship, music, and the outdoors. His legacy lives on through the memories he created, the people he loved, and the lasting impact he made on those around him. He will be deeply missed, forever loved, and never forgotten.
Tom was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Bonnie Henigan; his son, Joseph Henigan, who passed away in February 2026; his parents, Joseph and Hazel Henigan; and his siblings, Pat Rowzee, Alice Faye Polk, Christine McKay, Patsy Jo Rowzee, James “Herb” Henigan, and Leslie “Puck” Henigan.
Tom is survived by his beloved daughter, Jenny Dupree, and her husband, Micheal Dupree; his grandchildren, Jessica Mizell and her partner, Janelle Mizell-Santoyo and her husband, Victor, Justin Ferguson and his wife, Amber, and Jacob Ferguson and his wife, Makala; his grandchildren through his late son, Joseph Henigan: Joshua Henigan, Janessa Henigan and her husband, Robbie Gomez, and Jesse Henigan and his wife, Desirae; one sister, Carol Ann Robertson; as well as numerous great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandsons, who will carry his memory and the stories of his life forward for generations to come.
Pallbearers: Joshua Henigan, Jesse Henigan, Bob McManemin, Jimmy Hicks, Victor Santoyo, and Ben Whatley.