Ronnie Henry

Ronald (Ronnie) Elden Henry, of Atlanta, Georgia, died suddenly on May 18, 2020. Ronnie was a dearly loved son, brother, friend, and colleague. He is mourned deeply and will be missed immeasurably. Ronnie was born on October 29, 1973, to Ronald and Alyce Henry, in Weston, West Virginia. After graduating Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts from West Virginia Wesleyan College in 1995, Ronnie relocated to Chapel Hill, North Carolina. After a few years, he again relocated to Atlanta, Georgia, where he resided for the past twenty years.

Ronnie began working for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2003 and spent the past decade working as a health communication specialist in the Travelers’ Health Branch, where he quickly became an encyclopedia of travel health knowledge. His skills as an editor were widely known, and he took on the role as technical editor of the CDC Yellow Book, a medical reference about travel health, for the past several editions. Ronnie’s professional accomplishments exceed numeration. He quietly shaped CDC messaging around healthy international travel over the past decade and supported communication for numerous emergency responses like Ebola, Zika, and recently, COVID-19. Ronnie was the driving force behind the development of the “Can I Eat This?” app. The app recently appeared in an episode of Jeopardy, which he may have claimed as a crowning achievement in his career.

Outwardly, Ronnie was a colorful character with many striking qualities that all who met him knew and loved: his ever-changing hair color; his amazing cooking, fermenting, baking, and ice-cream-making skills; his love of RuPaul’s Drag Race, bizarre Oreo flavors, Dragon Con, improv comedy, and cats (both his Cassandra and Paris and everyone else’s); his wry wit; his astonishing intellect and eloquence; his excellent, though sometimes caustic advice; and his affinity for sharing a good meal with good friends. Ronnie’s love for international travel was not thwarted by his terror of flying. He traveled the world—from teaching Medical English in Beijing to exploring the continents of North and South America, Europe, and Asia with his closest friends.

For many years, Ronnie hosted an elaborate cookie party in December, featuring endless varieties of cookie flavors from sublime to outrageous. In the spring, Ronnie hosted Easter brunch, spotlighting his extraordinary culinary talents and creativity. His friends eagerly anticipated these events, which somehow got better with each iteration. Ronnie had a unique ability to connect diverse and interesting people at his gatherings. Many friends credit Ronnie for their introduction to other close, long-lasting friendships.

Friends were family to Ronnie, and he was fiercely loyal to those in his inner circle. Though Ronnie would guard his tender heart with his razor-sharp sarcasm and unconventional views, those close to him knew how deeply he loved. Ronnie was a shy, open-minded, and kind person, which he often hid behind a veneer of biting sarcasm or hysterical wit. If you were lucky enough to have a place in his heart, you knew it. He was extremely generous, caring, and loving in the quietest and most humble ways, never seeking acknowledgement for his many heartfelt and generous acts. Ronnie always had clear opinions which have colored his friends’ lives. When faced with indecision, close friends could always turn to Ronnie for his thoughts on the matter. Many of us will think of him every time we make a decision because we will be wondering, “What would Ronnie Henry say about this?”

Ronnie doesn’t just leave big shoes to fill. He leaves fabulous, one-of-a-kind Fluevogs, and no one will ever wear them like he did.

We’ll miss you always.

*Ronnie loved Dad's Garage, so much so that you can see his face painted on the wall in the lobby. We've started a memorial fund to honor Ronnie's memory and continue spreading joy and laughter to Atlanta. Please see link below to donate, all donations are tax deductible.