Obituaries
03-12-2004
Longview News-Journal


Blanche Killingsworth Henderson Abney
Memory Park Cemetery, Longview

BRYAN - Blanche Killingsworth Henderson Abney passed away on 
Thursday, March 11, 2004, with her family at her side at her 
home in College Station. A visitation and prayer service will 
be conducted by the Rev. Bob Waters at Hillier Funeral Home on 
Friday, March 12, at 7 p.m. Funeral services will be conducted 
by the Rev. Tim Watson of First Baptist Church of Longview and 
by Dr. Jerry Neff, minister of A&M United Methodist Church in 
College Station on Saturday, March 13, 2004, at 1 p.m. at the 
First Baptist Church in Longview. There will be a visitation 
in the chapel at noon prior to the service. Burial will follow 
the service, at Memory Park Cemetery in Longview. 

Blanche was the second child of Samuel Abney Killingsworth and 
Florence Ann Leath Killingsworth. She was born Aug. 30, 1909, 
at the family home north of Longview. As a young child, she 
attended Forest Hill Baptist Church with her family, and she 
often recalled riding a donkey named July to attend her first 
school, which was located at the Alpine Presbyterian Church 
community. She joined the First Baptist Church in Longview 
when she was 11 years old. She later taught Sunday school and 
was the superintendent of the 14-year-olds' Sunday school 
department. 

She married Lewis Henderson on April 19, 1927, and became the 
loving mother of his young son by his first wife, Gladys 
Rebecca Killingsworth. She and Lewis Henderson had one child, 
Blanche Henderson, born Nov. 26, 1939. 

After the death of Lewis Henderson in 1952, Blanche worked as 
secretary to the principal of Longview High School and as the 
file clerk for F.R. Jackson Oil Co. In 1960, she married Zach 
Abney of Marshall, and they lived in Longview until his death 
in 1984. In 1995, she moved to College Station to live with 
her daughter and son-in-law, Bob and Blanche Brick. 
Blanche Killingsworth Henderson Abney was a member of the 
First Baptist Church of Longview, the East Texas Historical 
Association, the Texas State Historical Association and the 
Southern Historical Association. Also, she was a major 
contributor to a family history of "Mary (Barry) and William 
Barry Henderson, Their Forebears and Descendants." 

She was a keen student of the Bible who loved working in her 
church, spending time with her family, gardening, sewing, 
reading, researching genealogy and taking care of her dogs, 
Happy and Buddy. She was also a wonderful cook whose lemon 
meringue pies and coconut cakes will always be remembered by 
those fortunate enough to have enjoyed them ... as she will 
always be remembered by those who were fortunate enough to 
have known and loved her. 

She is survived by her son, Richard Lewis Henderson, and his 
wife, Elma Jean, of Midland and by her daughter, Blanche 
Henderson Brick, and her husband, Robert W. Brick, of College 
Station. 

She is also survived by her grandchildren, Susan Askins and 
Richard Eanes "Rick" Henderson of Midland and Kathleen Brick 
and John and wife Jamee Brick of Houston. She has four 
great-grandchildren, Mason and Cooper Askins of Midland, 
Kendall Smith and her husband, Russell, of Midland and Hannah 
Grace Brick of Houston; and one great-great-granddaughter, 
Elizabeth Ann Smith of Midland. 

She is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews and their 
families, whom she loved and cherished as part of her family. 

She will be remembered by all who knew her as a kind, gracious 
and beautiful woman of great faith who was always willing to 
share in the joys and the sorrows of her family and friends. 
And she will be sorely missed by all who had the privilege of 
knowing her warm smile and wonderful heart. She will be 
remembered as a virtuous woman "whose price is far above that 
of rubies."