William Hennan

William (Bill) Hennan, 72, passed away peacefully at home in Urbandale, IA, on December 30th, 2024. 

He was born in 1952 in Newton, MA, to Donald and Sophie Hennan (née Gagas). Bill grew up in Marlborough, MA with his sister, cousins, grandparents, aunts and uncles in the Greek community. Summers took the extended family to Cape Cod. He was proud of his Greek and Scots heritage. In 1963, his family moved to Davenport, IA, where he learned to sail. He graduated from Central High School, working in the darkroom of Elliott’s Camera Shop. He graduated from St. Ambrose College in 1975. It was there that he met the love of his life, Celeste Bremer. They married in 1977. For ten years, Bill worked for the Iowa Seventh Judicial District Department of Correctional Services, first in Pretrial Release and then as a Probation Officer. After moving to Des Moines in 1984, he served as the Director of the Polk County Bar Association and first Director of its Volunteer Lawyers Project. He then spent 26 years as the Assistant Dean of Drake University Law School; he was one of the students’ greatest supporters during all their challenges. As the Director of Drake Continuing Legal Education, he produced the popular Annual General Practice Review, and hosted a CLE program in Aberdeen, Scotland. 

Bill loved wine, the newest version of every Apple computer product, reading, bad puns, and military history. He was a passionate photographer and collector of photography gear. He took pictures of everything from Yosemite to street scenes or neighborhood deer. He loved kids and animals. He frequently rescued dogs, including those merely wandering and not really lost. As a volunteer for Mama Transport and AHeinz57, he helped get dogs such as his beloved Amelia, to forever homes via convoy from kill shelters to safe shelters. Before Bill’s illness he and Amelia walked over six miles a day; she was by his side until the end. 

In addition to Amelia, he is survived by his wife of 47 years, Celeste Bremer; his daughters, Katherine Hennan, Diane Hennan and her husband Andrew Rajczewski; his sister Dorothy Dailey and her husband Tom; his nephew John Dailey and his wife Sarah and their children, Ava and Thomas. He enjoyed the company of his extended family: sister-in-law Marie Brannon and her husband Mike; sister-in-law Theresa Bremer Allison; nephew Andrew Allison and nieces Joanne Thornton and Fiona Allison. 

The family thanks the staff of UnityPoint Hospice, especially Nurse Donna Danner, for all the kindness shown to Bill in his final days. The family also appreciates the care and treatment Bill received at the University of Iowa Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, especially from Dr. Mark Karwal and Nurse Julie Lynch. 

 A Celebration of Life will be held next year. No flowers, please. Bill would be honored by donations to AHeinz57 Pet Rescue.