Carlo Henningsen

Carlo Henningsen, 94, passed away peacefully on Friday, October 3, 2025, at Primrose Retirement Community of Mt. Pleasant, WI. Carlo was born in Hornum, Denmark on October 9, 1930, the son of Kristian Ludvig Henningsen and Valborg Marthine Henningsen, the youngest of 5. Carlo was united in marriage to Gwendolyn “Gwen” Elizabeth Kemp on July 13, 1957, in Olds, Alberta Canada. Carlo served in The Royal Danish Navy as a Radar/ Sonar specialist, sailing the North Atlantic Ocean from Denmark to Labrador, Greenland, and Southern Europe. Carlo later worked in the Arctic, building the DEW line radar stations across Canada’s Northwest Territory and Alaska along the Arctic Ocean, eventually earning enough to sponsor himself into the U.S. in 1957. Carlo started in the Danish Technical School at 14 during WWII and was a union Journeyman painter/decorator by 18, having a career of 50 years before retiring in 1995. He was one of Postorino Decorating’s lead craftsmen, training many apprentices over the years about paint, wallpaper, and wood finishes. He prided himself in matching paint colors and wood stains by eye, having mixed them by hand. Carlo worked in many of Racine’s finest residences and businesses, and was often asked for by name and reputation. Carlo loved his workshop, tinkering with garden tractors, woodworking, winemaking, watching soccer games, and caring for his home and property. Carlo was a proud member of The Danish Brotherhood, and a longtime member of Covenant Presbyterian Church. Carlo is survived by his son, Henning (Ginny) Henningsen, grandchildren, Erika (Jordan Stan) Henningsen, and Ryan Henningsen, in addition to many nieces, nephews in Denmark and Canada along with his many friends in Racine and more recently Primrose. He was preceded in death by his wife of 60 years, Gwen on June 6, 2018; brothers, Peter, Aage, Ove, and sister Irene. Funeral services will be held at Covenant Presbyterian Church, 40 Ohio Street, Racine, on Monday, October 20th, 2025; visitation at 10AM and the service at 11AM. He will be laid to rest with his wife at West Lawn Memorial Park in a private ceremony. The family would like to extend its sincere gratitude for his caregivers and many friends at Primrose for making his stay so easy and enjoyable over his later years.

Tributes

Carlo Henningsen

October 9, 1930 - October 3, 2025