On Friday, December 21st 2018. Ab Henshaw passed away peacefully at the age of 73. We lost our baseball hero, our accomplished athlete, our raconteur, our mentor of teachers and school administrators, our champion of children of various needs and abilities, our devoted husband, father and grandfather. He has left behind the loves of his life, his wife, Joan Reimer; his daughter Carolin Dimitroff and her husband Jim; his daughter Christine Anderson; his son, Dustin Henshaw and his wife Jen; his stepson Brennan Goman and his wife Kelly; his stepdaughter Lindsay Mall and her husband Andrew; and his stepdaughter Chantelle Madruga and her husband, Jon. His grandchildren, Katie Dimitroff, Greyson and Reese Goman, Miriam and Maya Mall and Boston and Morgan Madruga will miss their Grandpa and Papa. Ab is survived by his sister Penny Lahey, his brother George Baker and his wife Joanne, his brother Kirk Baker and his wife Bev and his many nephews and nieces. He is predeceased by his father, Albert Henshaw, his mother Winnie Baker, his stepfather Harold Baker, his brother-in-law Ed Lahey and his brother, Gary Baker. Ab was born in Manchester, England. His middle name “Mitchell” honoured the airplane that his father flew in WW II. After his father was killed in the war, his mother, Winnie, brought Ab on the Queen Mary to live in Galt (now Cambridge), Ontario. Growing up he loved sports and quickly earned a reputation on the fastball fields in Galt and Guelph. He was one of the leading hitters and outfielders for the Guelph Ingrams. He participated in the home run derby at the World Fastpitch Softball Tournament in Tempe Arizona in 1980 in front of 28,000 people and brought home a third place trophy. He was an accomplished athlete who practiced karate, played golf, hockey and racquetball. He was a referee with the OHL and volunteered with the Guelph Dominators. He supported the Guelph Storm and loved watching the games through the eyes of his role as video goal judge.
He started his teaching career with Wellington County Board of Education at Brock Road and Willow Road before moving into administration as a vice principal and principal at Priory Park, Willow, Salem and Drayton. After he retired from Waverley Drive he became a background actor and enjoyed working on sets with Sylvestor Stallone, Jackie Chan, to name a few but most famously in the movie “How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days” with Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey. He subsequently returned to teaching at College Ave and then as principal at Harriston Schools and Ponsonby until retired the second time. During his extensive teaching career he influenced the lives of many children, advocating for the rights of special needs children and supporting them in their participation in sports. He brought his sports card collection into the school to support reading and reward exemplary behaviour. He mentored many teachers and future administrators and encouraged them in their own careers. He was a dedicated and loyal friend with a wicked sense of humour, always ready to smile and make others laugh. We will miss him so much but feel some solace knowing that he is batting them “out of the park” with Shoeless Joe Jackson in his Field of Dreams. A Celebration of Ab’s life will be held at the Centre Wellington Sportsplex, 550 Belsyde Avenue East in Fergus, on Saturday, January 5th, 2019 from 1:00pm to 4:00pm, with words of remembrance at 2:30pm. In lieu of flowers, condolences for the family can be made through donations to The Children's Foundation of Guelph and Wellington which provides financial support for children and youth from low-income families so that they can participate in sports, arts, camps and other recreational activities. Arrangements entrusted to the Graham A. Giddy Funeral Home in Fergus, Ontario. www.grahamgiddyfh.com . (519) 843-3100