Armenta Ward Henderson

Armenta Ward Henderson B January 25, 1938-D May 12, 2025. Armenta was the second of four daughters born to Elsworth Nathaniel Ward and Annie Bell Hill. Armenta’s siblings included Joan Janice Ward Johnson, Barbara Sue Ward King, and Peggy Jean Ward Wylie.

Armenta Ward was married to James William Henderson Sr. for 66 years and together they had three loving children: Vena Marie Henderson, James William Henderson Jr., and Andrea Dee Henderson Thompson Dixon. Armenta is survived by her grandchildren Katherine Dianne Thompson Hinckley, Christian Wade Thompson, Kyle Emerson Thompson, Trisha Dawn Wallace, Kathleen Elizabeth Kisinger Hall, Connor Nathaniel Henderson, Rebecca Michelline Henderson Hoyt, Claire Victoria Henderson Wiscombe, James Ethan William Henderson, Hannah Marie Henderson Dixon, and Ammon Taylor Henderson. Also are included her many great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and other extended family too numerous to mention here but all were loved and cherished by Armenta. Preceding Armenta in death are her daughter Vena Marie Henderson, her beloved husband James William Henderson Sr., her father Elsworth Nathaniel Ward, mother Annie Bell Ward, and youngest sister Peggy Jean Ward Wylie.

Armenta was the daughter of a farmer and dairyman who had no sons. The result was a little girl and young woman who could work like a man. She worked in the garden, she milked cows, she fed and cared for animals and did it all as well as boys her age. She was spirited. She often told us about how she and grand daddy “disagreed”. She was a rebel looking for a cause. Her cause was a kid newly arrived from Mississippi named J.W. Henderson whom she affectionately called “Jimmy”. She met him at 14 and decided he was it. During high school at Bryant she played basketball and was always proud of her ability at the sport. I think she liked the contact of it and she was very competitive. She was a scrapper on the court. All during school she dated dad and finally married him when school was done.

Although their first few years were turbulent Mom and Dad always seemed to gravitate towards one another. During those years her family grew with three children. In a crushing loss Vena Marie would pass away. My earliest memories begin with my mom. She played with us, taught us to swim, we traveled together across the United States several times. She taught us life lessons, she helped us with our school work, she taught us to be kind. In short, she taught us to be good humans.

In later years, once again Mom worked like a man. She and Dad would work together on construction sites from Arkansas to California and back. She was his advisor more than most know. She was always quiet, but her words carried great weight with Dad. Certainly, advice from Mom was important to me and usually Andrea as well. We may not have followed that advice always, but we always wanted Mom’s take on a given situation. Our family was dependent on the quiet strength that Mom had. It was the glue that kept us all on track. This was especially true where Dad was concerned. Armenta Henderson lived her life for her family. In times of tumultuous change that is a strength that was, and is what sets a daughter, a wife, and most importantly a mother upon the pedestals we build for them.

In closing, we rejoice in the surety of eternal life through our Savior Jesus Christ and marvel at the thought of the beautiful reunion with her beloved Jimmy and her precious Vena Marie.