If Tom Henry could have had his way, he would have owned one of every Chevrolet model made during his time.

"He supported Chevrolet," Sue Scott said about her father, who started Tom Henry Chevrolet in Bakerstown in 1958. "He drove an El Camino and different brands of Chevrolet. He would have kept one of each."

Thomas B. Henry, who started as a salesman and worked in Chevrolet dealerships most of his life, died Saturday, April 18, 2009. He was 86.

Mr. Henry grew up in the Mars area and was president of his graduating class in 1940. His introduction to cars came at an early age when he worked pumping gas, checking oil and washing windshields at his grandfather's gas station and general store in Callery, a small railroad town in Butler County.

He joined the Army after the attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941 and served in the military from 1942 to 1945, said son Thomas G. Henry, 54, of Richland.

After basic training at Fort McClellan, Ala., and a short time at Camp Blanding, Fla., where he was stationed, Mr. Henry landed in Normandy several weeks after the initial D-Day invasion. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge.

Upon his return home in 1945, Mr. Henry went back to work at his family's gas station and met the woman who would become his wife, Marion.

"My mom lived down the street, and her friends encouraged her to go see the cute guy at the gas station," said Scott, 58, of Shaler.

The couple married in 1946.

After working a short time for Gulf Oil Corp., Mr. Henry went to work for the former Coyne & Evans Chevrolet in Etna where he was recruited into sales and earned accolades as the top salesman for Chevrolet's Pittsburgh zone in 1954, his son said.

"He was a great salesman," said Henry, who took over ownership of his father's dealership in 1982. "He had a great smile, bright blue eyes and dark hair. He was good with people."

Henry said his father had an aggressive sales style. "He would travel to rural areas and when he saw a farmer plowing a field, he'd walk in the field with his good shoes on and ask him if he needed anything," Henry said.

Mr. Henry purchased his own Chevrolet dealership in 1958, located off Route 8 in Bakerstown. The business grew, and in 1962 he had a new building put up less than a mile away from the original dealership.

Scott, who works in the family business, said some of her fondest memories come from the fall debuts of Chevrolet models.

"We would cover them (the new cars) in the showroom and have a big band and food," Scott said. "It was exciting for people to see the new cars. When the Camaro and Corvette came out, we were over the moon."

Scott said she owns a 1967 Camaro.

"Chevrolet was a part of our family," Scott said. "We've always been attuned to cars and the new models."

Scott said her father was "business and community oriented," devoting much of his time to work and making it a family place. Other family members also work in the dealership.

Mr. Henry retired in 1991.

Scott said last year Mr. Henry joined a celebration of the dealership's 50th anniversary that was attended by many customers, including some who bought their first cars from him.

Scott said even though her father had dementia, he recognized some longtime customers and appreciated their loyalty.

"He was just a great guy," Scott said.

In addition to his son and daughter, Mr. Henry is survived by his wife, Marion; three grandchildren; a sister, Elaine Settlemire of Mars; and nieces and nephews.

Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Neely Funeral Home, 2208 Mt. Royal Blvd., Shaler. Services will be at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday at the funeral home.

The family asks that memorials be in the form of donations to the Mars Historical Society, Mars, PA 16046.

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