Joan Hart Henninger - 2013
MHS 1957 Graduate
Joan Hart Henninger, class of 1957, was nominated by Rosemary Lutz Vandegrift, class of 1957. She is a retired teacher from Minerva Local Schools with 32 years experience.
She is currently a resident artist at the Market Street Art Spot in Minerva. Joan, Michelle Mulligan and Marty Chapman initiated the idea, which came to fruition in 2011 with the additional help of Laura Donnelly and Sally Lytle. An art gallery in Minerva was something that she “believed in.”
She was born on her grandfather’s farm in rural New Harrisburg to Kate and Ed Hart. Joan grew up in Minerva. She began art lessons at 14 with local artist Jean Calerdine Browne, her mentor for forty years. Her favorite subjects were barns, since she was always around them.
While in high school, Joan was on the Crescent staff, National Honor Society, Y-Teens, GAA, Diary staff, Quill and Scroll, and was the American Legion essay winner her senior year. She also worked in her parent’s drug store, Hart Drug.
In 1957 she entered Kent State University’s teacher cadet program and began her teaching career in September 1964. She taught grades kindergarten, first, second, and sixth at Minerva Elementary. Her favorite grade to teach was first grade because she taught her students how to read. After the birth of her son in 1962, she taught private kindergarten for five years with Mona Theobald. She often used art to motivate her students. Summertime gave her time to paint locally and during her travels. Painting on site is her favorite thing to do.
In 1960, she married William Henninger, an engineer at Good Roads Machinery. She has one son, Brad. Brad lives in Perry Township in Lake County, Ohio. He is married to Judi and has two daughters, Ashley Hegarty of Virginia Beach, and Aimee Simon of Perry Township.
Joan has been a member of Minerva First Christian Church for 65 years. She taught Sunday school and was chairman of the Home Department. She created a memorial garden there for her husband, who died in 2000. A painting she created of the church is hanging in the Narthex.
Joan’s community is very important to her. She is past-president of the Entre Nous service club and continues to be an active member. The club has planted flowers and shrubs in the cemetery, created the Minerva welcome signs and installed flower planters along Market Street. She has participated in the Minerva Junior Women’s Club, Minerva Chamber of Commerce, OEA, Sans Souci, bridge clubs, and Calligrapher’s Alliance.
Besides painting, Henninger’s hobbies include swimming, knitting, golfing, gardening, and cooking for which she has received numerous awards. She taught swimnastics for 12 years at the Great Trail Golf Club.
Joan has traveled to many European countries such as Germany, Austria, Italy, France, Switzerland, Turkey, Greece and Ireland. Those places have served as subjects for her art.
She often does commission work and always has a project on the easel in her studio. She has exhibited at the Butler Art Institute of America, Salem Art Show, Algonquin Mill Festival, Massillon Museum of Art, Stark County Fair, Minerva Arts and Craft Fair, Lost Gold Festival in Minerva, Steam Railroad Museum and the Carroll County Commission for the Advancement of the Arts. She has had a solo art show at the Market Street Art Spot. She exhibits work in her private studio, the Oil Slick.
Minerva has been good for Henninger to grow up, prosper, and enjoy! It is her hometown, and she wouldn’t trade it for any other place.