Henry Castner Obit

Henry Castner was born in Louisville, KY to Charles and Ida Walker Castner.  He passed on Friday, November 19, at the University of Chapel Hill Health Center at the age of 89.  Henry attended Centre College of Kentucky and Vanderbilt University, receiving BA and BMeE degrees in 1955.  He worked three years for Westinghouse Electric Company before returning to academics.  At the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, he received advanced degrees in geography and cartography.  In Madison he met and in 1964 married Claire Connors of Danbury, CT.

He spent 25 years at Queen’s University, in Kingston, Ontario, Canada teaching and conducting research on map design and production, map perception, the history of Russian cartography, and most recently, the relationship between vision, mapping, and geographic education.  He was a founder, and served a term as President of the Canadian Cartographic Association, and was later President of the North American Cartographic Information Society.  He represented Canada on several different Commissions of the International Cartographic Association (ICA).  On his retirement from Queen’s in 1989, he became Emeritus Professor of Geography.  

In retirement, he continued his participation in the ICA Commission on Cartography and Children, and was active in his community of Fearrington Village by making maps of the Village for the annual Directory, and in helping to develop a system of walking trails.  He presented a course, Travels with Henry, in which he shared his travel experiences, to two Education in Retirement groups.

He is survived by his wife, Claire; a daughter, Catherine (Erin) Thames Castner Lord of Quechee, VT; and her daughter, Finley Blue Castner Lord; a son, Henry Christopher (Kip) Castner of Baltimore, MD; a brother, Charles Beaumont Castner of Louisville, KY; and three nieces and three nephews.  

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be sent to the Chatham Habitat for Humanity, 467 West Street, Pittsboro, NC 27312; the Cabbage Patch Settlement House, 1413 South Sixth Street, Louisville, KY 40208; or to Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada, K7L 3N6 or https://www.givetoqueens.ca/

 

A memorial service will be held at the Fearrington Gathering Place on Tuesday, January 4, 2022 from 2:00 to 4 p.m.