Barbara Joyce Henderson

October 31, 1938 - April 29, 2019

Barbara Joyce Henderson reached a peaceful end to her long and beautiful journey on Monday, April 29, 2019. There is no doubt Barbara was carried by many glorious angels to her heavenly resting place while listening to her favorite gospel hymns, including Amazing Grace. Although Barbara was 80, she displayed an infinite spirit and a zest for life that was immeasurable. Barbara lived every day to the fullest. Barbara was born on October 31, 1938 in Athens, Alabama. While in Alabama she and her family lived a farming life, as they had for previous generations. At the age of 8 she moved to El Cajon California and lived on Johnson Avenue with her sister Jeanette and her parents Milton and Lucille Murrah. Barbara attended Grossmont High, where she was a majorette. Barbara met her soon to be husband, Philip Henderson while still in high school. After marrying her high school sweetheart, she gave birth to 5 children: Cynthia, Deborah, Pamela, Ronald and Kristie. Barbara was an Air Force wife and lived throughout the United States. She made many lasting friendships along the way. There was always adventure in military life, Barbara was in the blizzard of the century in North Dakota and was in Hurricane Camille in Mississippi. After moving to their final duty station at Bergstrom Air Force Base in Austin, Texas in 1969, Barbara worked many retail jobs until retiring to be a stay at home Grandma. She worked at Dairy Queen, Sears, Eckerd, and CVS but most memorable were the years she spent managing Ballard’s Grocery. During her many years at Ballard’s she hired countless young students from Del Valle High School. Many of these kids looked to her as a second mother. Fond memories are often shared of their time at Ballard’s with Mrs. Henderson. There are stories about the infamous spiral notebook of purchases “bought” on credit, eating sausage wraps, enjoying glass bottled cokes and simply appreciating each other’s company. Barbara was a collector of many things. She never passed up a bargain. She loved fabric and craft stores, garage sales, and thrift stores. No matter the cost or value, all of her treasures had a place: a shelf, a drawer, or a cubbie. Her walls were covered with photographs and her home was overflowing with baubles and trinkets - these brought great joy. Barbara was not only a collector, but a giver too. If Barbara said to take something she was offering, you better not say no. She was insistent once her mind was made up. You were leaving with what she was giving, no matter what – just ask Madison. Barbara was also an avid gardener. She could grow anything. If you needed a plant nursed back to health, Barbara was the one to do it. She loved her blooming plants and surrounded herself with greenery and blooms both indoors and out. Barbara found great passion in sewing and crocheting, especially t-shirt blankets. She made blankets to give away to friends and fellow patients who were also battling cancer. She made and donated over 75 fleece blankets for Dell Children’s Cancer patients. Barbara preferred to stay busy so with each donation, she purchased more fabric. Her family plans to finish the remaining blankets and donate them in her honor. At age 75, Barbara began her long and difficult battle with cancer. Through the good and bad times Barbara was the epitome of a true fighter and survived the disease nearly 5 years. Even in sickness, Barbara never complained and always had a smile and a hug waiting for everyone she met. Barbara knew no stranger. Even with so many friends, there were a chosen few along the way who held a special place in her heart. Whether you knew Barbara a lifetime, a day, or just a moment, she was likely to make a lasting impact. She was a true blessing. Recently Barbara gave up scratch cooking her favorite meals. She no longer made pinto beans with fried potatoes, ribs smothered in sauerkraut or chicken & dumplings. Of course, her specialty was always a cast iron skillet of cornbread. This family staple was served on a near daily basis with leftovers crumbled and eaten in a glass of milk with salt and pepper. As her sickness progressed, instead of eating home cooked meals she preferred Campbell’s tomato soup, BLT’s or a favorite sandwich made with mayo, banana and white bread. Meals were washed down with iced milk or a Dr. Pepper. A favorite pastime for Barbara involved a quick trip to the casino. Barbara loved to play slots and enjoyed her road trips with Maria, Bob and her daughters. She was able to make two trips in the last couple of months and enjoyed every moment. On a recent trip through the Texas Hill Country to see the bluebonnets in bloom and to visit Fredericksburg to buy plants for spring, Barbara took her first trip to Luckenbach but she definitely did not enjoy the Lone Star beer! Barbara was proceeded in death by her infant son, Ronald Floyd Henderson; her oldest granddaughter Brandy Lee Colon; and her parents Milton and Lucille Murrah. She is survived by her daughters Cindy Little, Debbie Burch (Bill), Pam Henderson, Kristie Simo (Patrick); grandchildren Terrance, Patrick and Trace Little; Billy, Bryan and Brandon Burch; Misty and Lee Colon; Madison and Matthew Simo. Her sister Jeanette Patterson of El Cajon, California. She is also survived by 14 great-grandchildren, a niece, and several cousins. Barbara loved her family, they meant the world to her. Barbara had a wonderful care team. She cherished her doctors and was incredibly thankful for all of those who supported her during her illness. Thank you to Philip Henderson for a lifetime of memories and support. And to Marilyn Henderson for lifting Barbara up in prayer and for supporting the family unconditionally. A special thank you to all the staff at Texas Oncology, especially Dr. Quan Dang, Dr. Rebecca Fisher, Dr. Carl Nuesch, Dr. Debra Patt and Lana Zolotukhina, FNP-C. Barbara’s time at home would not have been the same without the support of Christa, Angela, Yency, Valerie, Lorie, Tyler, Graham and Adrienne. In addition to her medical care team, Barbara had a wonderful support system, taking her to appointments, scans, treatments, shopping, enjoying lunch and just keeping her company. Thank you to Maria, Joanna, Angela, Charisse, Glenda & Allen, Gina, Wendy, Evelyn, Kim, Michelle, Paul & Elaine, Twala, and Lauren for making cancer a little bit easier. Barbara’s wishes were to be cremated. She did not want a traditional funeral where family and friends gather to mourn her in death. Barbara wanted her family and friends to celebrate her life. Please take a moment and do something you enjoy in memory of Barbara, she would have it no other way.