Toni Lea Henselman

December 27, 1956 - January 4, 2011.

Toni Lea Henselman, 54, of Medford, Ore., passed away on Tuesday, January 4, 2011. Toni was born on December 27, 1956, to Margie and Gene Roethler. As a young girl, she participated in 4-H, convincing her parents to allow her to build a backyard barnyard, where she raised geese and exotic breeds of chickens. It also introduced her to her lifelong love of cooking and entertaining, which later encouraged her career as a restauranteur. During summers, she spent time at Lake Shasta were she enjoyed water-skiing and boating with family and friends. Her love of the outdoors also included skiing, tennis, and river rafting.

A 1975 graduate of Medford High School, Toni was active in student government and cheerleading. In her senior year, she was named Miss Rogue Valley, and went on to represent Medford at the Miss Oregon pageant, with a song and dance routine she choreographed with her mother, a founder of the local pageant. In later years, Toni was active as a hostess for pageant contestants and was a member of the Miss Rogue Valley Pageant Board of Directors.

After high school, Toni spent many years modeling in southern California, returning to Medford in 1979. In September 1981, she married her high school sweetheart, Steven Henselman, and they operated an Orange Julius, in Medford and Roseburg, Ore. In August 1985, she gave birth to her first child, Summer Marie, and they launched their dream of a full-service restaurant by opening Grub Street Grill, while she also developed a catering business, which she continued for many years.

In November 1991, her second child, Johnathan Richard Eugene, was born. Toni went on to develop a new concept of providing frozen casseroles to busy customers and created "Classic Casseroles." Toni was always known by friends and family as the "hostess with the moistest." She was able to plan and create elaborate events or spur-of-the moment gatherings, with equal ease and panache. Friends and family remember Toni's home as a place to gather and enjoy good times.

Toni is remembered as a loving wife, mother, aunt, and sister, a true friend and a successful businesswoman. Her family and friends remember her unconditional love, support, ever-present smile and generosity. She will be greatly missed by those who had the privilege of knowing her.

Toni is survived by her husband, Steven Henselman, of Medford, Ore.; daughter, Summer Henselman-Espinoza, of Portland, Ore.; son, Johnathan Henselman, of Portland, Ore., siblings, Rene, Craig and Lynn Roethler.

A service will be held at the Congressional Church, East Jackson, Medford, on Saturday, January, 22, 2011, at 3:00 p.m.

From the Medford Mail Tribune