Henry R. Gorski was born in West Amboy, NY, on April 25, 1919, to Martin Gorski and Rose (Siemborska) Gorski. Henry graduated from Rome Free Academy, Rome, NY in 1939. He took a course in metallurgy at Syracuse University, then joined the Civil Service at the start of World War II, working first as a government inspector of 75mm cartridges and then as an inspector of  hand grenades in Utica, NY. In 1942, Henry completed a course in ordnance inspection at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in cooperation with Watertown Arsenal in Watertown, Massachusetts. In that program, he learned to take and interpret x-rays and to make and inspect welds. Henry was then sent to Watertown, NY where he took and interpreted x-rays of the welds on Sherman tanks to make sure they were done correctly.

Henry loved airplanes from an early age, so when he heard that the U.S. Army Air Corp was looking for men to fly airplanes within the United States in 1942, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps' War Training Service (WTS) at Potsdam, NY. He took ground school training in Clinton, NY and flying lessons at Utica Airport. The ground was covered with snow when he took his first solo flight so he made his landing in an airplane fitted with skis.

Henry was then assigned to Owensboro, KY to learn acrobatic flying where he flew the Yellow Peril, a bright yellow bi-plane. Next, he was assigned to training at Rochester NY to learn cross-country flying, then went on to Massena, NY for additional flight training. On a solo flight there, an unexpected snowstorm blew in and Henry's instructor was on pins and needles wondering if he would make it back through the disorienting snow. There was no radio contact. Henry spotted the St. Lawrence River, got his bearings and made his way back safely.

Henry earned his private pilot's license, but then the WTS program was terminated with the creation of the Women's Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) and women were brought in to free men up for the service. When the WTS program ended, Henry returned to the Army Air Corp and was sent to South Carolina, where he completed basic training. Then he was sent to train at radio school in Wisconsin, learning radio repair. WTS participants at the radio school were then given an honorable discharge due to the end of the WTS program.

Shortly after his discharge from the Army on August 9, 1944 at Fort Dix, Henry enlisted in the U.S. Navy and trained as a technical store keeper. He was assigned to the U.S.S. Kent Island, a technical supply ship, which was part of the Japanese invasion force. Henry travelled as far as Okinawa, Japan, but before the invasion occurred, the bomb was dropped, and Japan surrendered. Henry was discharged from the Navy at Samson Air Base in upstate New York in February 1946.

After he left the service, Henry worked at Griffiss Air Force Base in Rome, NY, as a warehouse foreman. He was given a one-year leave to attend Tri-State College in Angola, Indiana, then was promoted to manager of the warehouse foremen, and was in charge of three warehouses. While working, he took night classes through Utica College. Henry was an early user of computers and learned COBOL, a high-level programming language. He used his experience and expertise to make improvements in Air Force warehouse methods. He went on numerous trouble-shooting missions including Temporary Duty Assignments in Germany, Hawaii, and many states across the United States. Henry was promoted to a Systems Supply Analyst in 1974.

In 1949, Henry married Stella Banasiewicz, who was a Registered Nurse at Griffiss Air Force Base. Together, they had three daughters whom they raised in Rome, NY until 1971 when Henry was transferred to Richards-Gebaur Air Force Base in Kansas City, MO. Henry was promoted to Supply Management Representative, GS-12, while at Richards-Gebaur AFB. He retired in 1979 after 36 years of government service. In 1980, Henry and Stella retired to Daytona Beach, FL.To keep busy upon his retirement, Henry took a temporary job with Avis Rent a Car, where he worked for 10 years.  Henry enjoyed golf, reading, fishing, playing contract bridge and travel, including visiting 35 state capitols across the United States with Stella. He also enjoyed photography, creating his own darkroom and experimenting with various development techniques. In his early years, he enjoyed writing poetry and fiction and also building and flying model airplanes. Henry always took an interest in other people and made many friends throughout his long life. He believed in staying active and was a member of Sensational Senior Socials (SSS) of South Daytona, FL. He enjoyed many bus trips, boat tours, theater productions and Mystery Trips with the SSS group.   Henry was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 3282, Daytona Beach, FL and the National Retired Federal Employees Association.
Henry was a devoted and loving husband and father. He and Stella were married for 57 years. Stella preceded him in death in 2006. Henry is survived by three daughters, Linda (Mark) Flotow; Carol (Steven) Buckels; and Joan (Allan) Benjamin; and many special nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by five brothers and one sister: Theodore, John, Stanley, Edward, and Chester Gorski; and Jenny (Gorski) Hakac Wild.