Kyle Reese Hennigh

Kyle Reese Hennigh, 70, of May, Oklahoma, peacefully passed away at his Enid home on Monday, July 6, 2026, surrounded by family, concluding a full life of compassion, adventure and service.

On January 2, 1956, Donald Leon Hennigh and Peggy Pauline Johnston welcomed Kyle into this world in the Dodge City, Kansas Hospital.  Although Kyle’s earliest years were spent in Englewood, Kansas, he was raised in Laverne, Oklahoma. His dad moved the family east of town to manage the Carlisle Ranch. Kyle spent his entire school years in Laverne, graduating from high school with the class of 1974. He continued his education at Panhandle State University where he attended for one year, picking up a few college credits and serving as his freshman class president.

On August 22, 1975, Kyle married his high school sweetheart Cynthia (“Cindy”) Lynn Rogers, at the United Methodist Church in Laverne, Oklahoma. Together the newlyweds briefly resided within Laverne city limits, until Kyle realized his need to be outdoors and away from the “bright city lights”.  He followed his adventurous spirit by convincing his new bride to move to the middle of a pasture near May, Oklahoma on Clear Creek and made it their lifetime family home.

Kyle started work in the oil field in 1976 as an operator with Sun Gas Company. He maintained his employment with the company for over 40 years as it survived many transitions from Sun Gas to Sun Energy and Production, to Oryx, then Kerr McGee, Anadarko, Exco and finally retiring for health reasons in 2016 from the company then known as Sheridan.  Kyle made lifetime friends, mentored many new employees and fully embraced each transition of the company. Simultaneously while working full time in the oil and gas field, Kyle was active in family livestock operations. He worked alongside his father Don, raising show pigs, Clear Creek Durocs, and became very reputable and sold animals all over the Midwest. Kyle transitioned into the cattle industry initially raising Polled Herefords and transitioned to Black Angus following his father and continuing Hennigh Angus, a registered cow/calf operation for nearly two decades.

Kyle began his journey as a farrier in February of 1981, was an active member of the Oklahoma Farrier Association and spent nearly 30 years blacksmithing and horseshoeing both competitively and as an occupation. He was highly respected in his field and became proficient in a short period of time, winning multiple years at the Sooner State Forging Contest. Kyle’s first clients were local ranch and rodeo stock. As Kyle continued to forge, shoe and develop his craft, his clientele grew and his reputation spread as one of the best in the industry. Kyle’s skills as a farrier brought owners of national show class horses and world champion barrel horses from multiple states to his barn in May, Oklahoma. Hennigh Horseshoeing took Kyle to race barns in Oklahoma, New Mexico and Kansas and even to the Kentucky Derby as horse owners wanted to make certain they had the best for their animals.  Kyle took great pride in his work. If you asked him though, there is no doubt he was just as happy putting old iron on stubborn mules as he was fitting aluminum plates on some of the fastest thoroughbreds around.

As a young man, Kyle maintained several hobbies.  He raced motorcross motorcycles, raised greyhounds and competed at local and regional tracks, eventually turning retired race dogs into coyote hunters and gained so many friends running dogs through the Oklahoma and Kansas Plains. You could find Kyle anywhere from scuba diving in the Caribbean to snowmobiling or pack mule elk hunting on the high ridges of the Colorado Rockies.

Kyle’s professional journeys and hobbies were complimentary to his true passion, his family. Kyle and Cindy started their family with the birth of their son, Kaleb, in 1978 and later their daughter, Carrie, in 1980. Kyle made certain that his children were not only actively involved and working in the pasture, on the farm or in the barn, but that they shared quality time together doing the fun stuff. Kyle’s love for horses naturally started the children off in dusty rodeo arenas; however, summer plans changed once the kids got old enough to voice their preference for “lake life” and soon those summers were spent at Fort Supply Lake and Lake Texoma. Kyle loved inviting and teaching so many of his children’s friends from Northwest Oklahoma how to water ski. Kyle was an avid scuba diver and that hobby transcended to his children too, as they spent many summers at Lake Tenkiller as well as a few exotic family diving trips to Cozumel.

At an early age, Kyle surrendered his life to Christ.  Kyle was a devoted and active member of the United Methodist Church of Laverne serving where he was needed in various capacities.  One of his latest joys was helping with the Methodist After School Tutoring Program assisting local area youth to learn, study and grow, and this program continues going strong today.

Kyle and Cindy’s family grew with the additions of Kyle’s legacy, his grandsons: Karsen, Tristan, Jase and Grayson and the beginning of his path as “Pekaw.” Kyle was extremely proud of his new title and cherished his time with these four grandsons. He spent the last 19 years of his life cheering and encouraging them at too many baseball, football, cross-country, track and bass fishing tournaments to count, while bragging just a little bit along the way. He was their biggest fan!

Kyle was active in his community throughout his life. He was integral part of the Laverne Boy Scout Troop 274, serving as scout master for many years. Kyle served on the Laverne School Board, was a member of the Northwest Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association, The American Angus Association, was recognized and received his honorary local chapter and honorary Oklahoma State FFA Degrees and was a supporter of the Laverne FFA and Harper County 4-H Booster clubs. Kyle was a passionate and adventurous man that will be remembered for his quiet strength, smile and love for so many people. 

Kyle was preceded in death by his father Donald Leon Hennigh and his mother Peggy Johnston Hennigh.

Kyle is survived by his wife Cindy Hennigh of the home, his son Kaleb and wife Mandy Hennigh and their children, Karsen and Jase of Enid, Oklahoma; his daughter Carrie and husband Stephen Hardison and their children Tristan and Grayson of Aledo, Texas; Brother Don and wife Sharon Hennigh of Hennessey, Oklahoma; brother-in-law Larry and his wife Shellie Rogers, of May, Oklahoma; sister-in-law Glenda and husband Jimmie Ellyson of Kingfisher, Oklahoma and many dear nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family, and friends.