On Sunday, June 4, Timothy Dane Henshaw, (39), passed away surrounded by family and loved ones, at St. Charles Medical Center in Bend. Timmy, as most people knew him, was born in Tulare, Calif., on February 7, 1984, to Timothy and Susan Henshaw.

He spent his early years on the “Double O” in Catlow Valley where he eventually returned after spending much of his childhood in Bend. Timmy graduated from Crane High School in 2002 and began his young adult life as a ranch hand for several different Harney County ranches. He loved the thrill of riding bucking horses at ranch rodeos and often times on the job, because Rock Creek horses are a special breed. He had a passion for all thing’s buckaroo. His love for this lifestyle was only dimmed by the meager salary it brought, which eventually led him to become a lineman. 

He traded out his flat brimmed cowboy hat and snap down shirts for tattoos and motorcycles. He excelled in his new career and was soon a journeyman lineman. From there he moved up the ranks quickly and became the foreman that everyone loved to work with, surely due to his quick-whitted nature and relentless teasing.  He was daring and bold, climbing the tallest towers and repelling from helicopters to work in the most precarious situations. This adventurous spirit fostered his love for extreme dirt bike riding and any other adrenaline seeking activities he could chase down.

The only thing Timmy loved more than thrill seeking was his family. He loved his sisters with his whole heart and proudly wore the title “Uncle Timmy”, or “Skunkle Timmy”, as he was sometimes called. He treasured his nieces and nephews and they loved him in return. He was the “fun uncle” and created unbreakable bonds with each of his nieces and nephews. Tim never married, but he had a few serious relationships that he held dear.

On Sept. 22, 2014, Tim’s life was forever changed when he crashed his new Harley Davison motorcycle. He sustained life threatening injuries, the greatest being a traumatic brain injury. This brain injury left Tim severely disabled and fighting for his life on many occasions since that fateful day. It was a complication stemming from these injuries that eventually called him Home. 

Tim is survived by his sisters, Angela Henshaw, of Corvallis, Nicolette Henshaw of Burns, Amanda Kesling, of Redmond; and honorary brother, Dale Houck, of Burns; nieces and nephews, Savannah Hoyle, Brittainy Houck, Andrew Houck, Halle Houck, Michael Beck, Orion Houck, Kylie Kesling, Aurora Swartzlender, and Kyler Swartzlender; and great-nieces and nephews, Violet and Quincy Gabriel and Timothy Houck. Tim was preceded in death by his parents, Timothy and Susan Henshaw.

A Celebration of Life will be hosted on Sunday, Aug. 13, at 1 p.m., at The Ivy Stone, 253 N. Broadway Avenue in Burns, Oregon. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Brain Trauma Foundation at braintrauma.org.