Remembering Lyn Hennion's Life of Service

Friends and colleagues are remembering Lyn Hennion as a civic leader, financial professional, tireless advocate for children and a cheerleader for nonprofits working to improve lives. Lyn served on the Oregon Community Foundation Board of Directors from 2002 to 2011, spent a number of years on the investment committee and was a permanent member of the OCF Southern Oregon Leadership Council. She passed away on January 23, 2026 at the age of 82. 

“Lyn represented the best of what we mean when we talk about Oregon’s caring community. She gave herself fully to improving people’s lives wherever she served, especially the lives of children. Her kindness and integrity never wavered. Oregon is a better place because of her life of service.” — Lisa Mensah, President and CEO of Oregon Community Foundation 

Lyn served on the OCF Board when Reed and Carolee Walker left a bequest that created the Reed and Carolee Walker Fund at OCF, which supports organizations serving people, particularly children, living on low incomes in Jackson County. She chaired its board for several years. Lyn served on the boards of many organizations including the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, Pacific Retirement Services, the Children’s Institute, the Rogue Valley Airport Advisory Committee, Oregon’s 529 College Savings Network and former Gov. John Kitzhaber’s “Ten Year Plan for Oregon.” 

Lyn at an OCF grant presentation in Jackson County, 2019

Her record of community service and commitment to the causes most dear to her were acknowledged through numerous awards. She received the “First Citizen” award from the Chamber of Medford/Jackson County in 2015. The Oregon Center for Creative Learning (OCCL) established the Lyn Hennion Early Learning Scholarship Fund in 2025 as a tribute to one of Southern Oregon’s greatest champions for children and early childhood education. 

“Sometimes there’s a person born to do only good and who deeply engages in the good works. Lyn Hennion was one of those people. She cared deeply about people and especially kids. She served our state in so many ways and lived and loved Oregon deeply. She will be so dearly missed. And her lasting legacy is that thousands of kids read because of her commitment to children.” — Dee Anne Everson, CEO and Executive Director of Willamette Way of Jackson County 

Lyn was a retired financial advisor who spent nearly 25 years with Umpqua Investments, formerly Strand Atkinson Williams & York, in Medford. She previously served as vice president and senior regional manager for the Franklin Templeton mutual funds in Oregon, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. 

She was a graduate of Stanford University and completed the Securities Industry Institute at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. 

Her obituary noted Lyn was a gifted knitter who “left one unfinished Christmas stocking for her new great granddaughter, a final reminder that she was always making something for the next generation.” 

Tributes from friends and colleagues 

"Lyn Hennion embodied the very best of community leadership, perceptive, generous and deeply committed to Oregon and its children. Her strength, sense of purpose and genuine love for people resulted in so much good. Being a champion for Southern Oregon and the causes she cared about made us all better by simply being part of Lyn's vision. We will deeply miss her." — Max Williams, former President and CEO of Oregon Community Foundation 

“California’s loss was Oregon’s gain. I will never forget flying with my dad, in the early 1980’s, to the bay area to talk the Hennion’s into moving to Medford. Lyn told me she was always grateful for that move and certainly so was Oregon. What a bright light she was then and still was in 2026. Thank you, Lyn!” — Patsy Smullin, Owner and President of KOBI-TV and longtime friend 

“Lyn was among the very closest friends of our university, always putting the interests of our students first as she generously shared her broad business and life experience with all of us. She understood both the importance and financial underpinnings of our institution, always willing to offer a steady hand as she led with kindness.” — Southern Oregon University President Rick Bailey and Board of Trustees Chair Sheila Clough 

Celebration of life planned 

Friends and family will gather to celebrate Lyn’s life on February 21, 2026 at 2 p.m. at the Craterian Theater in Medford, Oregon. In lieu of flowers, her family suggests donations to the Children’s Museum of Southern Oregon, the Southern Oregon University Early Childhood Learning Program or the Craterian Theater.