Joan Frances Mchenry

Joan Frances McHenry, age 82 passed away on Sunday, May 25, 2008. She was born on January 10, 1926 in London, England to Thomas and Emma Edwards, the youngest of four children. She was a loving wife, mother and grandmother with a wicked sense of humor and a love of travel, returning to her beloved England every year. Joan met her future American husband, Jack McHenry in the summer of 1944 when she was sent to the English countryside to recover from injuries sustained in a German V-1 bombing in London. Jack was stationed at Attlebridge, England with the 8th Army Air Corps, 466 Bomb Group and it was love at first sight. They were married on November 24, 1944 and began a lifelong love of adventure. She was one of the over 70, 000 British war brides that immigrated to the United States after WWII. Jack retired from Bergstrom AFB in 1963 and Joan went to work with Western Auto and then G&M Catering as a bookkeeper. After she retired, she volunteered with Brackenridge and St. David's Medical Center Hospital Auxiliary, working in their gift shops as a cashier and bookkeeper for many years. Joan was preceded in death by her husband, parents, sister and two brothers. She is survived by her five children, Susan Akin and husband Michael, Terry McHenry, Bruce McHenry and fiancée Jan Perales, Sandra Creswell and husband Michael, and Kathleen McHenry and lifetime partner Paul Rieper, grandchildren, Cristofer Bertero, Sarah Akin, Tom McHenry, Keith McHenry, Jack W. McHenry, Jacob Creswell, nine great-grandchildren, Jack Teale, brother-in-law, and many nieces and nephews. A memorial service will be held in June, date and time TBD. If so desired, memorial contributions may be made to SDMC Healthcare Volunteer Scholarship Fund, Attention: Lavon Marshall, 919 East 32nd Street, Austin, Texas, 78705 in Joan's honor.