Dorothy Nell Henderson

Dorothy was born to Presley Balke and Ida May Williamson Balke on January 28, 1934, in Austin, Texas, at the original Seton Hospital, on W. 26th St. She graduated from Austin High School, in the summer, 1951.

Dorothy was preceded in death by her parents and brother, James Edward Balke.

She is survived by her husband, of 60 years, Wesley G. Henderson of Austin, August Gruetzner and wife Jeri of Elgin and numerous cousins. In addition, she is survived by brothers in law, Clinton L. Henderson, Sr. and Charles E. Henderson, Sr. and wife, Dollie, all of Austin.

She worked for the Retail Merchants Association in Austin immediately upon graduating from high school. She followed this by working for The University of Texas at Austin from 1952-1968 in the Office of Accounting and the Office of the Registrar and Admissions. She met Wes when they were both employed in the Bursar’s Office.

Dorothy found her true calling prior to her teens caring for elderly and sick relatives and friends. Her mother suffered from severe asthma attacks and Dorothy had to help care for her during these times and help prepare the family meals. This became particularly necessary when her brother, James, was born in 1945. She often had to dress him and then get herself ready for school. Her mother had a serious asthma attack soon after Dorothy and Wes married. Dorothy continued to work with most of her salary paying for an in-home sitter to care for her mother during the day while her father ran his business. She and Wes became second parents to James after her mother died. They went to Casis and O’Henry schools on parents’ nights and other functions. She helped her father after James’ tragic death in 1962 until he remarried. His second wife was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and was placed in Retirement and Nursing Center (RNC), Burnet Lane, Austin, TX, and once again she found she was needed by her father to assist with Dorine’s medical care and feeding. Prior to this, she was in charge of her mother’s only sister, Eula Williamson. Dorothy had to place her aunt in RNC until her death. Eula and Dorine were at RNC concurrently for six of the seventeen and a half years.

The activity director at RNC asked Dorothy to assist her as a volunteer since she was there almost daily during those years. She typed the monthly newsletter and assisted in the preparations for mailing to families of the residents. She organized the Thursday Bingo party and found volunteers to assist at the parties. She served as the caller and supervised the volunteers by asking them to perform certain duties. She shopped for bananas and other prizes for the bingo parties. She and the volunteers went to residents’ rooms to assist them to parties and then served refreshments. Later, the activity director asked her to organize the Tuesday Night at the Movies after RNC purchased a movie projector from proceeds from a yard sale. She found a number of locations with rental film and drove to whichever had films she thought the residents would enjoy. Again, she found a number of volunteers to assist by popping popcorn, preparing punch and serving before and during the films. She accumulated several thousands of hours until she quit counting. She was at all the special events in addition to those mentioned. She even “volunteered” Wes for the annual evening Christmas party when they couldn’t find a replacement Santa Claus. The most memorable part of these years at RNC was her relationship with residents. She greeted them with hello and addressed them by their name when meeting them in the halls, the dining room or in their own room. She greeted them as if they were members of her own family.

Dorothy’s gift of helping others did not end with her family. She devoted the same devotion to friends who needed her assistance. She did the grocery shopping for an elderly friend and wrote checks for her friend to sign to pay bills when the lady’s eyesight began to fail. She did the same for her friend’s daughter during her years of failing health. She relieved this friend’s husband while he went home and did errands several days weekly. The husband even asked Dorothy and Wes to help him host a birthday party for his Sunday school class. These were just examples of so many of Dorothy’s love for others.

Dorothy loved entertaining, music, movies, travel and her cat, Tiger, and two dogs, Charro and Sir Winston. She started playing the organ at the age of 42 and on occasions, played the organ at RNC for the residents.

Dorothy went through life with more than her share of health problems. She recovered from a malignant tumor that resulted in the removal of her left kidney. She was diagnosed with esophageal cancer ten years after her kidney cancer. She suffered with severe esophagus problems which limited the types of food she could eat and being in crowds or noisy atmospheres. This eliminated entertaining and travel. Her constant pain was from osteoarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, gouty arthritis and problems with her spine. The pain from these just wouldn’t go away. Yet, she never failed to have a smile for others. She loved doing for and giving to others. That was Dorothy and her sincerest words were, “I love you.” This was particularly true in parting even if she had just met someone for the first time.

There will be a gathering on Sunday, December 20, 2015 with the family from 2:00pm in the afternoon until 4:00pm at Cook-Walden Funeral Home, 6100 North Lamar Blvd, Austin, Texas. A private burial service will be held at a later date.

The family would like to thank Dorothy’s doctors, their nurses and support staffs and especially Dr. and Mrs. Frank E. Robinson, Dr. and Mrs. Gary Rylander, Dr. Rashad Dabaghi and Dr. Stephen Hardeman for their excellent medical care.

We would like to thank all our family and friends for their loving, caring and sincerely needed visits to Christopher House.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hospice Austin, 4107 Spicewood Springs Rd., Suite 100, Austin, TX. 78759-8645, the Capital Area Food Bank of Texas, 8201 S. Congress Ave., Austin, TX. 78745-7305 or the charity of your choice.

To share condolence with the family, please visit www.cookwaldenfuneralhome.com.