Virginia Henderson

Virginia Lee Whitaker Henderson was born March 8, 1932 in Amarillo the first of five children to Claude and Bertie Mae Parker Whitaker. She started to school at Conley Country School and then attended Glenwood, Horace Mann and Amarillo High Schools graduating in May of 1950. She graduated from Amarillo College in May 1953 with an Associate Degree in Nursing and Northwest Texas Hospital School of Nursing in August of 1953 with her Registered Nurse diploma. She worked in Spearman, Lawton, Oklahoma, Long Branch, New Jersey, Northwest Texas Hospital and the VA Medical Center in Amarillo. While at the VA Virginia received several awards including the Excellence in Nursing in the six-state VA Southwestern Region, and the Hands and Heart Award for care given to the veteran patients. During her nursing career she was a member of the American Nurses Association, Texas Nurses Association, Texas Association of Post Anesthesia Nursing, and the American Association of Operating Room Nursing. She was active in District 4 of TAPAN and was certified in Post Anesthesia nursing and Operating Room nursing. She retired in November 1995 after 23 years at the VA Medical Center. Virginia was an active member of Pleasant Valley Christian Church for 40 years. For the last 15 years Virginia was a member of Hillside Christian Church and involved in Lamplighters Sunday School class, the Thursday Morning Senior Life bible study and the Berean Circle serving as president of her Berean Circle. She married Glenn M. Henderson on December 19, 1953. They were married 60 years and lived in Ft. Sill, Oklahoma, Lawton, Oklahoma, Ft. Mamouth Red Bank, New Jersey, Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio and Ft. Huachucha, Sierra Vista, Arizona. She resided for the past 45 years in Amarillo.

She was preceded in death by her parents; a grandson, Miles Parker Henderson and 2 brothers-in-law, Jim Blake and Art Newman.

She is survived by her husband Glenn; son, Brad “Scotty” and wife Terry; daughter, Monte and husband Randy Graf; 3 granddaughters, Sunni and husband Joe Miegel of Fate, Texas, Tori and husband Frank Lockwood of Amarillo and Deadre Henderson of Washington, D.C.; great-grandson, Parker Miegel and a great-granddaughter, Jerzi Lockwood.