Eileen Henkel

Eileen Gilliland Henkel, 90, passed away peacefully on November 12, 2016. She was born in Santa Barbara, California, on March 8, 1926 to Robert Wiley Stewart and Mary Belle Elgin Stewart. She is preceded in death by her first husband, Howard Russell Gilliland, and is survived by their children, Cheryl Buhanan, Russell (Karen) Gilliland, Karen Wellman, and Gary (Arabeth) Gilliland, 30 grandchildren, and numerous great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her second husband, Clifford M. Henkel, her brothers Richard (Karen) Stewart and Raleigh Dean (Nelda) Stewart and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, sister Darlyne (Harold) Pine, brother Robert (Pauline) Stewart, and son-in-law, Bruce Wellman. She was a kind, wise, compassionate woman who had the capacity to welcome many others into her family circle over the years. In her adult life she chose to join the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and attributed all that she and her family became to her faith in Jesus Christ. Her belief in God’s plan for the happiness of his children brought her great comfort in her life and is still the focus of her faith as she moves forward into the next phase of her life. She will be missed by all whose lives she touched. A Memorial Service will be held Saturday, November 26th at 11:00 am at 8706 W. Campbell Avenue in Phoenix. There will be no viewing beforehand.