A Titusville-native and former school superintendent, college professor and boys camp leader, Hennigar came to Penney in 2018. He retired early when his wife began to show signs of Alzheimer’s. As a result, they began looking for a gold seal place that could accommodate her needs. 

 Penney’s Pavilion for Health Care has earned the Governor’s Gold Seal Award for Excellence in Long-Term Care 11 times since 2002. The seal is awarded to nursing homes based on their quality of care, staff retention and financial stability.  

It was the perfect choice for Hennigar, who seemed to have spearheaded a movement, bringing 15 new residents along with him. 

“I was very active in the church in Titusville, it's 1,500 families. And there’s about 200 people that attend the church, very active,” he said. “So, when we moved here, some of my friends wanted to know what it was like [and] they came to visit. Unbeknownst to me, they were looking for a retirement place.” 

The supportive and spiritual community at Penney was a draw. For Hennigar, living there is like living in paradise. 

“We market lifestyle, we market volunteerism, we market the fact that you can have a reason to get up in the morning,” he said. 

Each day, you can find him indulging in something new, but nevertheless always being productive. Take photography, for instance. Hennigar has used a camera to capture some of the campus’ biggest events, as well as the annual resident directory. 

He said he got into photography after his wife’s diagnosis. They had purchased an RV and drove around the country for half a year. 

 
“As I went, I took photographs, but just for memories. When I got here, I started to think about well, I'm going to do portraits of people.” 

On other days, you can find him driving resident’s airport bound, playing golf in his vintage-themed golf cart or fulfilling his commitment to help develop a legacy program for residents. 

He is Chairman of the Development Committee and, last fall, he joined the Board of Directors. He also began providing counseling services to husbands on campus with wives who have dementia.  

“Everybody finds a little niche that they belong to. But collectively, they all agree on the purpose. The integrity, the volunteerism. Just a sense of helping your neighbor and being a good citizen.” 

For eight years, Penney Retirement Community has continued to provide Hennigar with hope. The vast green fields, scenic trails and campus clubs, he said, make Penney a place filled with purposeful living.