All Together In Heaven...

The Henderson's
From L to R:  Mabel, Doris, Betty, Ruth, George, Gerald and Joyce
Family Reunion, abt 1960

On Saturday, August 30, 2014, the last of the Henderson children born to Maggie and George Henderson of Burley, Idaho, left mother earth to join her siblings (Mabel, Doris, Ruth, George, Gerald, and Joyce) in their eternal home on high.  Betty Henderson Miller was 92 years young.

All of the husbands (Bill, Pat, Loyd, Steve and Theron) have also passed on to a higher reward.  That leaves only VaLoy (George's widow) and myself (Gerald's widow) to fill whatever life we have left on this earth with memories.

The Henderson family is an amazing family.  Maggie and George struggled in hard times.  George worked as a janitor in the local School District, and Maggie worked hard as the mother of 8 children.  But, somehow they managed to raise all of their children to be responsible, honest, hard-working citizens of their little community.  One other daughter, Berniece, passed away as a young mother from complications after heart surgery.  She left behind a young daughter and a loving husband.  I met them once, but have since lost track of them.

Mabel with George and VaLoy

Mabel was the oldest, and when I met her in 1957, she was pregnant with her last son.  She was a firecracker of a lady.  She always spoke her mind and let you know where you stood.  I guess I made a good impression on her, because she liked me.  She was the first to become a widow...but not the first to leave us.  It was Gerry who had that honor.

Doris and Pat

Ruth and Loyd

Doris and Pat were busy business owners in Burley, Idaho; and they were the parents of a lovely family.  They were gracious and always welcoming to me whenever I visited.  Ruth and Loyd owned a chicken hatchery in Paul, Idaho.  It was always fun to visit the farm.  Our children loved to see the little chicks and even got to take a couple home with them on one visit.

George was Gerry's only brother (picture above with Mabel) and we liked to visit him a lot.  We visited he and VaLoy in California, Washington, and Alabama.  George was a great brother-in-law.

Joyce and Steve

Joyce and Steve lived in Burley, too, and worked hard all of their lives.  Joyce was the youngest who was loved a great deal by her big brother.

Betty and Theron

Betty was the one who held the family together.  I never saw her without a smile on her face.  She and Theron spent most of their lives in Indio, California.  I think Betty was the one we visited most often, because they lived the closest.  We did love to get together for family reunions in Idaho, though.  It was always great fun to get the whole family together in one place!

Heart disease and Cancer were the big killers in the Henderson family.  Gerry's brother, George and Gerry, too, died from Heart disease, as did Berniece before them.  Doris, Ruth and Joyce died from Cancer.  Betty and Mabel were the only ones who seemed to enjoy longevity.  They just kept on ticking until their bodies just wore out.

I shall forever be grateful for this amazing family that came into my life in 1957.  I pray that one day, when the Good Lord calls me home, that I will be able to join with them all for that great reunion on high.  God bless you, Betty for being a part of my life and giving me a boatload of memories to reflect on from time to time.  I love you and we will miss you.

L to R:  Ruth, Doris, Mabel, George, Joyce and Betty
All the Henderson's together, 1981, Gerry's funeral