Audrey Joyce Henderson

Audrey.

She was the last surviving immediate family member of

Doris and Ed Henderson from Melville, Sask. She was

predeceased by her parents, and brothers, Ed (Milly), Ken

(Marian), Ray (Lee) and Jack, and her sister Shirley, along with

nephew Bob Henderson, nieces Ronelda Smith, Sharon McMillan

and great nephew Rodney Bellamy.

Surviving Audrey are sister-in-law Virginia Henderson, nieces

Marilyn Millikin (Ernie), Kathryn Henderson (Dwight), Melanie

Henderson (Gary), Gail Crumley, Heather Henderson (Paul),

Laurel Kellington (Ron), Penny Henderson (Bruce), Karen

Henderson (Terry), Joanne Ribben (Richard), Janice Bradbury

(Doug) and nephew Richard Henderson (Tamara). She also

leaves behind numerous descendants of those families.

Audrey was ahead of her time and one of a kind. She started

work as a teller at the Bank of Montreal at age 17 and rose to the

rank of bank manager during her career. Little did she know that

at age 17 when she walked into that bank, she would be a

pathfinder in the feminist movement and work her way to a status

that only boys dreamed of in the mid 1940’s. She didn’t consider

herself part of the women’s movement in any way, shape or form,

but she definitely had an impact on her nieces of what the future

could hold.

While she began her career in Melville, she transferred to

Vancouver in the 60’s. Her mother who was widowed at that

time had a terrific fear of prairie thunderstorms, so the move to

the coast ensued. They loved it there, and their home became

the key gathering place for all her siblings and their children. We

all remember piling in the car for the exciting road trip to B.C. and

having a great time with Grandma and Aunt Audrey. Her home

was always welcome and open for visits and relocations made to

the west coast. Later in life, the two sisters bought a home in

Palm Springs and many of us spent time poolside enjoying our

aunts and time in the sun.

Audrey had many interests and hobbies that filled her life beyond

work. She delved into Petit Point with total abandon and spent

countless hours creating works of art for herself and all her family

members and friends. While working at the bank she became an

avid coin collector, and that passion transferred over to many

other collections such as spoons, crystal and ceramic artifacts.

She also travelled and was very informed of world events and

politics. She was a voracious reader and liked to garden, but the

very core of Audrey was family. While she never married or had

children, she took an interest in her nieces and nephews lives

and documented us through home movies and photos. She also

lived with and looked after her Mother Doris and then her Sister

Shirley in later life. And she loved dogs! There was always a dog

in her life and often they were rescue animals. Her dear Scotty, a

little chihuahua was her last companion and kept her company

when she lost her sister and best friend Shirley.

Audrey and Shirley were great storytellers, but the favourites

were about Audrey’s days in the bank and particularly the

robberies she endured in Vancouver. She often referred to

obnoxious or irate clients and robbers as buster! We’ll always

remember her saying “Listen Buster” and then go about telling us

the scolding “Buster” was given. Those stories are priceless

memories!

Rest in Peace Audrey and we know you are safe with Shirley,

your brothers, and Grandma and Grandpa probably doing Petit

Point and telling “Buster” stories!