Memorial Service for Werner Hengst

Werner Hengst of Somers, NY died at home on Sunday, February 7th, surrounded by his family, from complications of diabetes. He was 79 years old.

Mr. Hengst was co-founder and administrator of Our Montessori School in Yorktown Heights, NY, as well as a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, and friend to many.

Werner was born in 1936 in Lübeck, Germany, to Gerhard and Emma Hengst. His father worked on the rocket program with Wernher von Braun, which brought the family to Cape Canaveral, Florida in 1952.

While attending University of Florida, Werner Hengst met his future wife, Betty. They were married in 1963 in Atlanta, GA, and afterwards took a three-month honeymoon around the world. Werner worked at a missile tracking station on Ascension Island, for Pan American in Cape Canaveral, Fla., as a systems analyst for TRW in Washington DC, and then was hired by IBM as a manager in White Plains, NY.

His wife Betty and he started Our Montessori School in 1972, and in 1986 Werner took early retirement from IBM in order to devote his energy full time to the school. An avid hiker and sailor, Werner could often be found on his Hoby Cat on the Hudson or hiking the trails in the mountains along the river.

More recently he turned his keen observation of nature and people towards writing, and a book of his memoirs, “From Peenemünde to Cape Canaveral, and Beyond” is due to be published and released on Amazon shortly.

Werner Hengst will be remembered among other things for his sense of humor, philosophical and positive outlook on life, and kindness towards other people.

Werner Hengst is survived by his loving wife Betty; his daughter Christy, son-in-law Helmut, and grandchildren Oliver and Eliza of Santa Fe, NM; and his sister-in-law and brother-in-law Fran and Tom Patterson, nephew Thomas Ira Patterson, great nephew Derek Patterson, and great great niece Paisley Patterson of Atlanta, GA.

A memorial service is planned for Mr. Hengst this Saturday, February 13th, at the Overlook Lodge, 55 Hessian Dr. Highland Falls, in Bear Mountain State Park, from 1-4pm. 45 minute memorial followed by buffet lunch. RSVP chengst@nets.com. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the United Latin American Pentecostal Church, in honor of those who helped so much to care for him. 110 Main St. Brewster, NY 10589.