Beverly Jean McHenry

Beverly Jean (Spragins) McHenry, 88, passed away peacefully on July 23, 2025, at her home in The Jefferson Retirement Community in Arlington VA. Arrangements are entrusted to the Murphy Funeral Home in Arlington VA.

Beverly was born in Dickson TN on January 3, 1937. She was raised by her mother, Hazel McGee, in Fort Worth, TX. She married Len Thomas Spragins Jr while still in high school. Together, they raised two sons (Tom and Keith) who became the love of their lives. After a decade of marriage, they divorced. In 1966, she married Harry I McHenry, her husband until death.

Beverly’s working career started with business school where she learned secretarial skills. Then she took an entry-level job for an insurance company. Her big break was getting a job with Bell Helicopter as a secretary with a living wage and generous benefits. Bell paid for her part-time studies at the University of Texas, Arlington where she earned a BS degree in Economics and developed an interest in accounting. After some work experience and a cram-course she became a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Her accounting career was mainly in Boulder, CO where we settled in 1974. She was an auditor or comptroller for several small companies and for one year, 1983/84, she was a CPA for the Tokyo Office of an American accounting firm. Throughout her career she always put a priority on what’s best for the family. This resulted in several job changes and relocations, but she always valued her work and maintained her stellar performance. She was proud to be a CPA.

Beverly main interests in life were travel and the needlework crafts, particularly quilting.

Her main milestone for travel was our 15 months in Japan, i.e., was that event before Japan or after? Every day had small successes, pleasant surprises, and new discoveries. She visited much of Japan and enjoyed brief visits to Korea and China. Back home, she traveled, often self-guided, to tourist destinations around the world.

Beverly was an avid quilter, especially after she retired. For family, when the recipient (other than toddlers) was identified, she would ask for their participation in the selection of the pattern and colors. During the Iraq war she made more than a dozen lap quilts for wounded soldiers recovering in the hospital.

Beverly is survived by her beloved husband Harry I McHenry and her three sons and their wives: Len Thomas (Susan) Spragins, Keith Allen (Kelly) Spragins, and David Paul (Jamie) McHenry. She also leaves to cherish in her memory 8 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren.