HENDERSON MARY ALICE

Mary Alice Peabody Henderson of Bay Village, Ohio died at home on Sunday, February 1, 2015 after a brief illness. Mary was born on October 22, 1921. She grew up on a dairy farm outside of Lebanon, Indiana with three sisters and four brothers. Mary graduated from Pinnell High School in 1939 with a graduating class of 17. Mary completed her nurse's training at Home Hospital, affiliated with Purdue University in 1943 and was an OB nurse at the hospital until she joined the Army Air Force in 1945 as a 2nd Lieutenant. After attending basic training at Ft. Benjamin Harrison, Mary served as a nurse at Mitchell Field, Columbia Army Airbase, and Ashford General Hospital in White Sulfur Springs, WV. In 1942 Mary met her husband, Tom, at a high school basketball game. Mary was a student nurse and Tom was serving in the U.S. Army at Purdue University where he handled administrative duties for the ROTC Unit. In 1945, Tom was transferred to the University of Kentucky and on April 7th he took the train from Lexington, KY to Ashford General Hospital to wed Mary at 0600... they were married for 60 years until Tom's death in May 2005. After the war, Mary and Tom moved to Cleveland, Ohio and raised three children: Nancy, RN; Janet, university professor; and Tom, Lutheran minister. Mary also continued her nursing... working part-time for over 20 years at Lutheran, Bayview, and St. John Westshore hospitals. Mary had many wonderful retirement years with her husband traveling to Europe and throughout the U.S., snowbirding in Florida, golfing, growing and showing their prize-winning dahlias, enjoying their beautiful home and yard, and visiting with their children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren. Mary was an avid knitter... knitting baby blankets for over 37 years; she was also a life-long reader and lover of books, especially mysteries and historical fiction. Mary was a member of Bay Presbyterian Church since 1951 where she was active in Deacons, Sunday School, women's Bible studies, the Bay Food Ministry, Senior K-group, and the North Coast Health Ministry. In recent years Mary attended St. Paul Lutheran Church in Berea, Ohio where her son was senior pastor. Mary is survived by her daughters Nancy O'Diam of Lexington, Ohio and Janet Henderson of Bay Village, Ohio, her son and daughter-in-law, Thomas L. and Marcia Henderson of Berea, Ohio, her six grandchildren: Derek (wife Chris), Blaine (wife Maria), Ben (wife Angie), Leslie (husband Mike), Michael (wife Yoko), and Calyn, her two great grandchildren: Lucas and Casen, her brother Philip, her sister Margaret, numerous nieces and nephews, and step granddaughters. A memorial service will be held at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 276 E. Bagley Rd., Berea, Ohio on February 21 at 11am. Rev. Thomas L. Henderson will officiate. A private military service will be held at the Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery in Rittman, Ohio. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mary's memory to: Young Life Cleveland - West Shore, 27070 Detroit Rd., #Ll1,Westlake, OH 44145 or St. Paul Lutheran Church, 276 E. Bagley Rd., Berea, OH 44017. Arrangements entrusted to the A. RIPEPI & SONS FUNERAL HOME, 18149 BAGLEY ROAD, MIDDLEBURG HEIGHTS, OHIO 44130. 440-260-8800. Memorial Service February 21, 2015 11:00 AM St. Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church 276 Bagley Road Berea, OH Final Resting Place Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery 10175 Rawiga Rd. Rittman, OH (330) 335-3069