Saturday, May 7, 2016
Barbara Kim Henderson
I think it is important to learn something new every day … well this morning I learned never to speak after an actor!
The last 11 days have been a challenge and we would not have been able to see a bit of light and hope in a dark tunnel without the prayers, words of encouragement, emails, and text messages from each and every one of you. So to our families, friends and South Church family Tara, Matt and I would like to express a sincere and heartfelt thank you.
It is fitting that we gather in this sanctuary to Celebrate Barbara’s life for it has been such an important part of our life together. Forty four years ago next Thursday, May 12th Barbara and I were married here. Barbara sang with the choir and was a Kyros mom when Tara was in Sunday school. Tara was baptized, confirmed and married in this sanctuary and her love for singing and theater performance began on the stage across the street. Tara even broke her arm here .. I think you get the point.
The thing that attracted me to Barbara was her smile and her laugh; she really knew how to laugh. We both came from families that taught us to take care of one another, and I am happy to say that Tara has married into a family with the same values.
Barbara was a selfless person, always putting the needs of others first. Many of you know that Barbara’s mom, had very bad arthritis and the point came when it was clear that she could no longer live alone so during the 6 hour drive to our yearly camping vacation to the mountains of New Hampshire we decided we would add a room to our house for her mom. We returned from vacation, Barbara put her dream of completing college on hold and became the president, buyer, expediter and manager of Hender-Fry Construction making sure we had the materials my friend George and I needed to for the following weekend. She cared for her mom for 18 years while nurturing Tara to become the women she is today. During that time I often kidded Barbara’s mom Dorothy .. if I knew you were going to live this long I never would have built the addition … to which should would reply .. very funny William.
I am happy to say that Barbara realized her dream and graduated with honors from Montclair State University in 1999.
Barbara loved to write and wrote a number of published greeting cards and poems. She loved children and using her special gift of understanding how difficult school can be for kids she coauthored a book entitled “Teddy Bear Jack and the Homework Attack”
God blessed me with a wife that is my best friend, someone who joined me on the wonderful rollercoaster ride called life. So although she is not physically here with me I know she will always be with me, correcting my spelling, my punctuation, and encouraging me.
In closing I would like to leave you with these thoughts:
1. Tara and Matt, look around this sanctuary, we have the love and support we will need in the coming weeks and days.
2. Cherish each day … it is a gift, give everyone who is important to you a hug and tell them that you love them.
3. The next time you see a yellow lab, even though it is not as pretty as Belle, or meet someone with a great smile or are in a theater and hear someone with are good laugh …. smile, join the laugher and think of Barbara. Believe me .. although we are sad, … Barbara wants us to write the next chapters of life with good thoughts, happiness and a great deal of laughter.
