Clifford J. Henderson
January 19, 1925 — December 16, 2014
Clifford J. Henderson of Marion ended his nine lives on earth in St. Luke’s hospice on December 16, 2014. Visitation will be from 4-7 p.m. Thursday, December 18, 2014, at Murdoch Funeral Home & Cremation Center in Marion. A Masonic Service will conclude visitation at 7 p.m. A celebration of life service will be held on Friday, December 19 at 11 am at the Lynn Dunn 4-H building, Linn County Fairgrounds, 201 Central City Rd., Central City, Iowa. Graveside Service: 3 pm Friday, December 19, 2014, at Mills Cemetery, near Paris, Iowa.
Cliff was born January 19, 1925 to John Clifford and Hazel Smola Henderson on the family farm near Central City. Cliff attended the rural Red School, and high school in Central City.
Cliff served in the Navy during WWII aboard the Nehenta Bay from October 1943 until May 1946. He enjoyed an Honor Flight to Washington D.C. accompanied by his son-in-law, Walt Stephenson in September 2010.
He married Delores Hulbert on May 24, 1947 at the Little Brown Church.
Cliff and Delores’s children are Janet (Larry) Lacy, Darrell (Anna) Henderson, and Carolyn (Walt) Stephenson. Grandchildren are Terri (Ed) Connelly, Kevin Henderson, Josh Lacy, Sara Stephenson (Patrick McQuillan), Matthew (Meghan) Stephenson, and Ian Stephenson. He cherished his great-grandchildren: Christopher Martin, Graham Stephenson, and Patrick Truman McQuillan
Cliff retired from the Marion Post Office and was a Past Master of Trojan Lodge #548 of Marion, a member of the Linn County Fair Board (20 years) and the Linn County 4-H Horse Committee (25 yrs), a founding member of the Mid-Iowa Driving Club, a long-time member and past president of the Broken Bit Saddle Club. Cliff and his team of horses Babe and Dolly (the ‘girls’) were common sights at weddings, Cedar Rapids Christmas Parades, Marion’s Swamp Fox festivals, and Mt. Pleasants Old Thresher’s Reunion. Cliff was honored as an “Old Thresher” and was the elder horseman at the annual Old Thresher’s Reunion.
Over the years Cliff and his wife Delores traveled many miles in their covered wagon with good friends, from Niagara Falls across the northern Great Plains to the mountains of Colorado. Cliff never traveled anywhere that he didn’t find someone he knew. The children and grandchildren grew up knowing they’d better behave, because they could run into someone who knew Grandpa!
Cliff was preceded in death by his wife of nearly 60 years Delores, four sisters Gladys Vacek, Charlotte Wilson, Verda Sweet, and infant sister Delores, and brothers Emery Henderson and Melvin Henderson. Survived by his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and brother LaVern (Celia) Henderson and sister-in-law Carol Henderson, brother-in-law Don (Bonnie) Hulbert, and many beloved nieces and nephews, and extended family and friends.
The family is very appreciative of the staff at Garnett Place, Summit Pointe, Linn Manor Care Center, the St. Luke’s Hospice staff and special nurse Peggy Bragg, and Dr. Thomas Richmond. In place of flowers, memorials would be appreciated to St. Luke’s Hospice, Linn County 4-H Foundation, Old Thresher’s Reunion Foundation, or a charity of choice.
Cliff was born January 19, 1925 to John Clifford and Hazel Smola Henderson on the family farm near Central City. Cliff attended the rural Red School, and high school in Central City.
Cliff served in the Navy during WWII aboard the Nehenta Bay from October 1943 until May 1946. He enjoyed an Honor Flight to Washington D.C. accompanied by his son-in-law, Walt Stephenson in September 2010.
He married Delores Hulbert on May 24, 1947 at the Little Brown Church.
Cliff and Delores’s children are Janet (Larry) Lacy, Darrell (Anna) Henderson, and Carolyn (Walt) Stephenson. Grandchildren are Terri (Ed) Connelly, Kevin Henderson, Josh Lacy, Sara Stephenson (Patrick McQuillan), Matthew (Meghan) Stephenson, and Ian Stephenson. He cherished his great-grandchildren: Christopher Martin, Graham Stephenson, and Patrick Truman McQuillan
Cliff retired from the Marion Post Office and was a Past Master of Trojan Lodge #548 of Marion, a member of the Linn County Fair Board (20 years) and the Linn County 4-H Horse Committee (25 yrs), a founding member of the Mid-Iowa Driving Club, a long-time member and past president of the Broken Bit Saddle Club. Cliff and his team of horses Babe and Dolly (the ‘girls’) were common sights at weddings, Cedar Rapids Christmas Parades, Marion’s Swamp Fox festivals, and Mt. Pleasants Old Thresher’s Reunion. Cliff was honored as an “Old Thresher” and was the elder horseman at the annual Old Thresher’s Reunion.
Over the years Cliff and his wife Delores traveled many miles in their covered wagon with good friends, from Niagara Falls across the northern Great Plains to the mountains of Colorado. Cliff never traveled anywhere that he didn’t find someone he knew. The children and grandchildren grew up knowing they’d better behave, because they could run into someone who knew Grandpa!
Cliff was preceded in death by his wife of nearly 60 years Delores, four sisters Gladys Vacek, Charlotte Wilson, Verda Sweet, and infant sister Delores, and brothers Emery Henderson and Melvin Henderson. Survived by his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and brother LaVern (Celia) Henderson and sister-in-law Carol Henderson, brother-in-law Don (Bonnie) Hulbert, and many beloved nieces and nephews, and extended family and friends.
The family is very appreciative of the staff at Garnett Place, Summit Pointe, Linn Manor Care Center, the St. Luke’s Hospice staff and special nurse Peggy Bragg, and Dr. Thomas Richmond. In place of flowers, memorials would be appreciated to St. Luke’s Hospice, Linn County 4-H Foundation, Old Thresher’s Reunion Foundation, or a charity of choice.
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