Urban planner, civil servant.
Born at Winnipeg on 27 September 1928 to Caroline Edith Mason (1902-1985) and David Clarence Henderson (1902-1966), he grew up in the Riverview community of the city. Summers were spent with the family at Victoria Beach. He attended Kelvin High School and later graduated from the University of Manitoba’s Faculty of Architecture with Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees in Town Planning.
He began his professional career with the Metropolitan Planning Commission of Greater Winnipeg. After a few years, he was recommended to become the first Director of Planning for the City of Fort William, Ontario, which later became Thunder Bay, and he spent six years in that position. In 1957, he became the first Director of Municipal Affairs of Manitoba, which provided professional planning services to some 35 municipalities outside of Winnipeg. His most notable work was the location and design for the development of Thompson. In 1965 he joined Reid Crowther Engineers and Architects to head up their new regional planning division. At this time, he was also the Director of the Regional Boundaries Commission.
In 1970, Lloyd Axworthy of the University of Winnipeg invited him to be Research Associate at the newly created Institute of Urban Studies at the University. In 1972, he was appointed as Winnipeg's Commissioner of Planning and Social Services with the newly created Unicity. He served on the City of Winnipeg’s Board of Commissioners until he retired in 1988.
After retirement, he worked toward a Master of Divinity degree at the University of Winnipeg. His other activities included membership on the Salvation Army Advisory Board, as well as memberships in the Rotary Club of Winnipeg and the Charleswood United Church.
With his wife, Claire Noreen Agnew (1928-2017), he had three children. He continued holidaying at Victoria Beach, where he enjoyed golfing and family time. For much of his life, he sang in church choirs, as well as the Winnipeg Philharmonic and the Bison Men's Chorus.
He died at Winnipeg on 2 August 2012 and was buried in the Chapel Lawn Memorial Gardens.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 4 August 2012.
Obituary [Claire Noreen Henderson], Winnipeg Free Press, 29 April 2017.
“David Gordon Henderson Sr,” Nettie Henderson Family tree, Ancestry.
David Gordon Henderson Sr., FindAGrave.
This page was prepared by Lois Braun.
Page revised: 1 May 2026
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