Col. Jerry G. Henderson, USMC (Ret.), 73, went home to be with Jesus on Sept. 30, 2013.
He was a beloved husband, father, brother, uncle and cousin.
Jerry was born on July 23, 1940 in Williford, Ark. He grew up in various parts of Missouri, and attended Northeast Missouri State Teachers College in Kirksvile, MO., where he earned a BS in Education.
He began college on a football scholarship and then joined the ROTC in his junior year. Upon graduation he was commissioned into the United States Marine Corps as a second lieutenant.
He continued his education throughout his military career. He earned multiple community college credentials and a master’s degree in psychology.
He was a student and an instructor of logistics at the National War College in Washington, D.C.
In 1980, he was part of the USMC Honor Guard at the presidential inauguration of Ronald Reagan.
Duty stations included Vietnam; Camp Pendleton, Calif.; 29 Palms, Calif.; Cherry Point, N.C.; Camp Lejeune, N.C.; Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii; MCRD, San Diego, Calif.; Quantico, Va.; ICAF, Rosslyn, Va.; and Okinawa, Japan.
Col. Henderson received many citations, including Republic of Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Legion of Merit and the prestigious John Paul Jones Leadership Award.
As a logistics officer in Hawaii, he performed an additional duty as an education officer. With the aid of his fellow Marines, he built several classrooms to provide high school and college education for other Marines. For this he was awarded the John Paul Jones Leadership Award by the commandant of the Marine Corps.
He was preceded in death by his father, Harrell Glen Henderson; his mother, Rosa Ella Willbanks; and grandparents, Amos and Belle Willbanks and Claude and Montie Henderson.
Survivors include his wife Nancy Henderson, lieutenant colonel, USMC (Ret.); son, Scott; daughters, Shelley (Cody) Maxwell and Kerry Hogan, captain, USMC; granddaughter, Tesla Anne Maxwell; sister, Claudette (Jim) Pearl; brother, Terry (Laura) Schulze; and stepfather, William A. “Bill” Schulze, CWO4, USMC (Ret.). He also had a host of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins.
Being the loving family man that he was, he considered each one of them a treasured gift.
He was a kind, generous, dependable family man, who was passionate about his love for God and his service to his country, and was loved by all who knew him.
He was a member of the Eastern Shore Baptist Church, Lake Forest Golf Club/MGA and Senior Couples Golf Club.
Visitation will be held Friday, Oct. 4, 2013, from 5-7 p.m., at Wolfe-Bayview Funeral Home in Daphne.
Funeral services will be held from the chapel of Wolfe-Bayview Funeral Home in Daphne on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2013, at 1 p.m. Interment will follow at Jubilee Memorial Gardens in Daphne.
Arrangements by Wolfe-Bayview Funeral Home, Daphne.
