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Bowlers Lose A Role Model

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By LEE DIEKEMPER Tribune correspondent

Published: November 1, 2007

NEW PORT RICHEY - When parents bring their children to bowl in youth leagues at Lane Glo North bowling center in Port Richey or go to the center to bowl in leagues, they may not realize what impact Cathy Henry had at the center.

Sadly, Henry, described by others in the industry as one of the best female bowlers in the state, died Oct. 21 due to cancer.

She was diagnosed with the disease some three months ago and lost the short battle. She was 48.

'She was just a good person,' said Lane Glo North spokesman Pete Graffagnino.

Hudson Bowl owner Dennis Baldwin said Henry 'was one of the best lady bowlers in the area. She will be missed by a lot of people.'

But Henry wasn't just known locally for her bowling prowess and love of the game. She was a member of both the Florida State Bowling Hall of Fame and the Suncoast Bowling Association's Women's Hall of Fame.

Additionally, Henry was a member of the Florida Queens, a semi-pro team of some of the top women bowlers in the state.

'She was very well known in the state for her accomplishments in the 1980s and 1990s and her involvement in the industry,' Graffagnino said.

'She did a lot for bowling in the area, but she was an excellent bowler. She had some unbelievable achievements in her career.'

Henry was the first women within the area governed by the Suncoast Bowling Association (which includes Pasco County and northern Pinellas County) to bowl consecutive perfect games. She rolled the back-to-back 300 games for the first time in 1993.

Henry was the first manager of Lane Glo North when it opened its doors in 1990 and served as manager of the center for six years.

While manager, Henry was instrumental in developing the center's youth bowling programs and traveling teams.

Though she gave up bowling in recent years, Henry, an Indiana native, was a fixture amid local and state tournaments, specifically scratch tournaments and scratch leagues, in which she excelled.

A memorial for Henry will be held Saturday at the Michels & Lundquist Funeral Home, 5228 Trouble Creek Road in New Port Richey. Family members will greet well-wishers at 10 a.m. with the serviced scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. Henry is survived by sons Robert and Steven Kirk; siblings, Susan Berger and Ronald Widner; and five grandchildren.

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