In Memory

Henry R Waits - Class Of 1950

Henry Rowland Waits ObituaryHenry Rowland Waits, 87, husband of Doris Clegg Waits, passed away Thursday May 9, 2019. He was born February 1, 1932 to the late Lawrence and Mabel Gibson Waits in Lexington, Ky. Henry graduated from Lafayette High School in 1950 where he met Doris on their senior trip to Mammoth Cave. After graduation from Lafayette High School he received the American Farmer Degree, St. Louis, Mo in 1952 and served as Sergeant in the US Army, 71st Division, involved in Operation Moose Horn at Ft Greely Alaska in 1956, maintaining close friendships with five Army couples over the years. Afterwards he began managing local farms; first the dairy development of C.E. Gibson's Thoroughbred farm in Paris, Ky., and managed Dan Scott's Thoroughbred farm before joining Preston Madden at Hamburg Place as Farm Manager for 18 years while standing stallions, T.V. LARK and AMBER MORN. In 1973, he purchased Rowland Farm and developed his own Thoroughbred operation from 1983 to 2006 where he foaled, raised and raced Stakes horses; SILENT TURN, MILITRON, ALONG CAME JONES, OUT OF THE SHOOT, and boarded other successful Thoroughbreds. After selling the farm he moved his family to Winchester, enjoying family, pleasure horses, and special Collie companion Cody. He loved all aspects of farming and devoted his life to hard work. He mentored young men and women developing life-long friendships, enjoyed his relationships with his sons-in-law and grandsons-in-law, always willing to offer his advice while they accomplished the task at hand. From his early years of raising top-priced tobacco crops, he was proud of his farming heritage along with his cousins, Harold and Ray Waits of Nicholasville. In his youth he received the Kentucky Farm Bureau Julep Cup for high-priced cattle at the State Fair; did custom hay baling and sheep sheering for neighbors in northern Fayette Co. and in his professional life, designed horse barns for colleagues in the equine industry. Henry was a former member and Chairman of the Board of Epworth United Methodist Church and current member of their neighborhood church, David's Fork Baptist Church, on Cleveland Road, close to Rowland Farm, the Waits family home place, where he and Doris resided for many years. In addition to his beloved wife, Doris of 66 years, he is survived by his daughters, Betsy (Jeff) Walker, Beverley Freeman, Barbara Karen (David) Baumgartner, Karla Jean (Greg) Harris; grandchildren, Robert (Justine) Baumgartner, Meghan & Carissa Baumgartner, Shelby (Josh) Foister, Sara (Brian) Naylor, Lauren (Barrett) Schoeck, and Katie Walker & Fiance', Alex Clay; great grandchildren, Henry & Clara Baumgartner, Journey Foister, Colton Langley, Kaley, Emily and Zachary Naylor, Annabelle & Evelyn Schoeck, Kadence & Karter Whalen. He is preceded in death by one sister, Dorothy Duff and brother, David Allen Waits, grandchildren, Rowland & Cole Harris. Celebration of Life will be on Friday, May 17 at Kerr Brothers Funeral Home on Harrodsburg Rd. at 10:30 am. Visitation will be on Thursday, May 16, from 5-8 pm. Committal services will be held at 1:30pm at Camp Nelson Cemetery, Nicholasville. Pallbearers will be Gary Sacra, Barrett Schoeck, Carl Ray Waits, Marlon Waits, Robert Waits and Jenny Mills. Honorary Pallbearers will be Doug Arnold, Dr Gary Bray, Ransom Cooper, Gary Duff, Dr Luke Fallon, Bobby Jo Guinn, Matt Phillips, Russell Sebastian, Gary Stewart, Paul Tackett and Donald Waits. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to David's Fork Baptist Church, 3245 Cleveland Rd. North, Lexington, Ky. 40516; Kentucky United Methodist Children's Home, 1115 Ash Grove Pk, Nicholasville, Ky. 40356; the Salvation Army, 722 W. Main St., Lexington, Ky. 40508 or Bluegrass Care Navigators 2312 Alexandria Dr. , Lexington, Ky. 40504. A very special thank you to the Hospice and Palliative Care Team at the Lexington VA Medical Center, Baptist Health Brannon Crossing Infusion Center Team, and Dr. Tim Scott and Jenny at Baptist Family Medicine for their compassion and excellent care.