Raised in Stinnett, Texas, she attended the Stinnett High School, graduating in 1957. She was in the marching band helping the Stinnett Rattlers win a state football championship that year, and no one was more proud than she. During that time, she was also a girl in love - but her parents forbade marriage until an appropriate age. Ever respectful of their wishes, she waited one day after her 18th birthday to marry her sweetheart, Mr. David Lee Henderson. They later travelled the country, working in various locations, finally settling in Campbellsville. They remained a devoted couple until his death in 2007.
Mrs. Henderson was an excellent seamstress, and, in her early days in Campbellsville, managed a fabric store. In her spare time, she was a volunteer with the Taylor County Hospital Auxiliary, and always had an uplifting word for the sick and weak. There was never a stray animal around her that went unfed or without shelter. The love she had in her heart made her especially proud of her daughter’s accomplishments as a professionally-renowned portrait artist, and she regularly shared quips and stories about her life.
She leaves to cherish her memory:
Three grandchildren: Rain Clair Thomas and husband Jesse Kennett of San Diego, CA, Mason Doyal Thomas of Murray, KY, and Warren Younger Thomas and wife Kristen of Louisville,
Great-grandsons: Roman Thomas, Cole Thomas, and Thomas Rex Buchanan, and one more expectant great-grandson,
Great-granddaughters: Bella Thomas and Tessa Thomas,
Her son-in-law: Fredrick Leonard Thomas of Murray, KY,
Two close friends: Betty Joiner Tucker of Jetson, KY, and Clella Johnson Collier of Stinnett, TX,
And several other extended family members and friends.
She was preceded in death by her husband, David Lee Henderson; her daughter, Joy Lynn Moneta (Henderson) Thomas; her parents, William Doyal and Carmen Moneta (Hawkins) Yates; two brothers, William Doyal Yates and Larry Dave Yates; and one sister, Carmen Sue (Yates) Patrick.
There will be an Eastern Star service to honor the life of Mrs. Henderson on Saturday, June 29, 2019 at 1:00 PM EST (12:00 PM CST) in the chapel of the L.R. Petty Funeral Home, Campbellsville, KY, with the funeral immediately following. She will be laid to rest beside her husband in the Panhandle Cemetery, Panhandle, TX. Graveside service times will be announced at a later date.
Visitation will be at the funeral home on Saturday, June 29, from 11:00 AM EST (10:00 AM CST) until time for the service.
In lieu of flowers, please consider memorials in the form of donations to Hogard’s Chapel United Methodist Church or the ASPCA. Those can be made in person at the funeral home, or online through the “How Can I Help” tab on the front page of this site.