Carrie Ellen Crowder Henderson passed away peacefully on Tuesday, April 23, 2019 with her loving family by her side. She will be missed by so many, but she is at peace and resting in the comforting arms of our Lord and Savior.
She was born on November 5, 1936 in Charleston, West Virginia to Owen and Cornelia Crowder, where she spent her early and formative years, graduating from Stonewall Jackson High School in 1954. She left Charleston to attend the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, where she received her RN. She reflected often and fondly of her days in Charlottesville, and was very proud of her Alma Mater.
After receiving her RN, she and her three closest friends loaded up their few belongings and headed west on their adventure to the big city of Dallas, Texas. There, she worked as an RN at Baylor Hospital, caring for patients as she always did for everyone she knew. She was always a good sport and as such, agreed to be a substitute blind date for her roommate. As fate would have it, she met the love her life and life-long partner Glen Henderson. He was a resident at Parkland Hospital, where he trained to practice as a surgeon in Orthopedics. After a three-year courtship, they exchanged vows and were happily married in Dallas on May 29th, 1961. Shortly thereafter, Glen persuaded her to move out of the big city, and head south and west to the Sheep and Goat Capital of the World, San Angelo, Texas. The move to the barren countryside and desert-like climate was not an easy transition, but what the landscape lacked, the people of the community gave back tenfold. She soon fell in love with the town, its people, and her Church, First Presbyterian.
Her faith in God always came first, and she served as both Deacon and Elder in the church for years. She also was a beloved Sunday school teacher for decades, known for having a prepared agenda and a mandate for participation. She volunteered for countless organizations, and donated selflessly of her time and money to those without. In addition to her volunteer duties, she was a talented and passionate artist. Many of her paintings and abstracts were displayed publicly. Cooking for family, friends, and those in need was a passion for her, which also served as an extension of love that she had for people. Rarely did anyone come in the house that did not ask “Is there any pie in the fridge?”
She is preceded in death by her parents and brothers Lionel and Rex Crowder of Charleston, West Virginia. She is survived by her husband Dr. Henry Glen Henderson, son Madison Henderson and wife Tessa, of Houston, Texas; son Bradley Henderson, PhD and wife Kristin of Los Alamos, New Mexico; and daughter Ashley Henderson, MD and husband Raymond Pickles, PhD of Chapel Hill, North Carolina; seven grandchildren, Madison and Caroline Henderson, Eleanor and Violet Henderson, and Caian, Nathan, and Wilson Pickles; and siblings Shirley Goad of Charleston, West Virginia; Emma Lou Kuhn of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and John Crowder of Huntington, West Virginia.
The family will receive friends on Friday, April 26, 2019 from 5:00-8:00pm at Johnson’s Funeral Home. Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, April 27, 2019 at 11:00am at First Presbyterian Church, and there will be a reception immediately following the service. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the First Presbyterian Church of San Angelo.
The family would like to extend our sincere appreciation to the staff of Shannon West Texas Memorial Hospital for their utmost professional and personal care offered to our Mom under challenging and difficult situations. We would also like to thank Emma (we miss you), Stephanie, Lolly, Pam and many others for their love and patience with home help. Last, we extend our everlasting love to the Vista Del Arroyo neighbors whom we will always refer to as Our Family. We love you Mom.
