Ruth Ann Henderson

EUTAW Ruth "Ann" Sterling Henderson, age 56, of Eutaw, died Sept. 4, 2010, at St. Vincent's Hospital. Services will be 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at Memory Chapel Funeral Home with Floyd Roebuck, Kenneth Phillips, and Warren Wilson officiating. Burial will follow in Memory Hill Gardens with Memory Chapel Funeral Home, a Dignity Memorial Provider, directing. Visitation will be Tuesday from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the funeral home.

She was preceded in death by her father, James William Sterling, Sr., and her mother, Wilma Roebuck Sterling.

Survivors include her husband, Joel Henderson of Eutaw; her daughter, Jennifer Henderson of Northport; her son, Jordan Henderson of Northport; and her brother, James "Jim" W. Sterling, III (Pam) of Clinton.

Ann was a devoted and loving wife and mother. She grew up in the small town of Clinton, attended local schools, and finished at Livingston University. Ann began married life with Joel at the early age of 19 and had a faithful and loving marriage for 37 years. During this marriage, she gave birth to their daughter, Jennifer, and son, Jordan, each of whom has accomplished many goals due to her emphasis on education, determination, and most of all, happiness. Ann loved to teach. She began teaching in 1997 as a music teacher which progressed into art, Montessori, and special education forms of teaching. Ann loved her students and continually thought of new projects or activities for them to grow as a student. She not only taught out of textbooks but from the heart for any problems her students incurred.

In addition to teaching, Ann loved music, playing the piano, theatre, crafts, sports, and traveling. You never knew which CD she might have in the CD player; you would randomly catch her playing her favorite piece on the piano; she loved to attend any theatrical performance; she enjoyed arts and crafts so tremendously that she and her husband maintained a wood working business for several years; she cheered the loudest at Jordan's sporting events, whether basketball, baseball, or football - she was his biggest fan; and she traveled to cities all of Alabama with her husband's state organization, throughout the Southeast on family trips, with a final adventure to Houston, Texas with her daughter to see her favorite Christian speakers, Joel Osteen and Joyce Meyer. Even when diagnosed with autoimmune deficiency, Ann lived her life to the fullest.

Pallbearers will be Dean Trawick, Jim Henderson, Mark Odom, David Drummond, Bennie Abrams, and Robbie Langham.

Honorary pallbearers are nurses, doctors, and staff of Surgical Intensive Care Unit at St. Vincent's Hospital, Dr. Morris Roebuck, Jr., Bank of Moundville employees, mayor, council members, and staff of the Town of Vance, all former students, Bob Hudson, Eddie Lary, Tim Chism, Rusty Hoyt, and TARC and WAARS Ham Radio Club members.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Joyce Meyer Ministries.

Condolences may be offered at www.memorychapelfuneralhome.com.