James M. Henderson

James Marvin Henderson was born March 31, 1930 in Fort Cobb, Oklahoma. He was the son of Marvin F. and Jimmie Henderson. James was raised in the Fort Cobb and Anadarko area, attending school in Anadarko.

Upon completion of his schooling, James moved westward to California where he accepted employment digging wells. He worked there for several years and was working as a truck driver for Stockton Armature and Motor Works in Stockton, California when he was inducted into the service of this country on December 1, 1952. James served as a Private First Class in the United States Army, Company D, 179th Infantry Regiment during the Korean Conflict. He received the following decorations and citations while serving overseas, Korean Service Medal with Bronze Service Star, United Nations Service Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal and the Republic of Korea, Presidential Unit Citation. James was honorably discharged on November 2, 1954 and moved to Gore, Oklahoma upon completion of his service.

James was married to Geraldine Resecker in Gore, Oklahoma on May 20, 1955. The couple made their initial home in Muskogee and then later moved to Terlton in 1973. They had four children, Janet, Mike, Keith and Mickey.

James worked for a couple of years in Muskogee as a laborer for Oklahoma Gas and Electric. In 1956, he joined the Iron Workers Local Union 584 in Tulsa, Oklahoma. During his years of membership with the local, James worked on numerous projects in the Tulsa area including the construction of the Williams Center (Bank of Oklahoma) and the Prayer Tower at Oral Roberts University. James loved to work. Even in his retirement, he continued to build shops around his home and was active in working on mowing equipment, tractors and just tinkering on about anything. James was known by his family as a most loving husband, father and grandfather.

James passed away on Monday, October 1, 2001 at the Saint John Medical Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma at the age of seventy-one years and six months. He was preceded in death by his parents and two brothers, Harlen and Clifford Henderson.

He is survived by his wife, Geraldine Henderson, of the home; daughter and her husband, Janet and Tom Hudson, Guthrie, Oklahoma; three sons, Mike Henderson, Sapulpa, Oklahoma; Keith and Tina Henderson, Sapulpa, Oklahoma; Mickey and Susan Henderson, Talala, Oklahoma; six grandchildren, Jamie Hudson, Guthrie, Oklahoma; Jenna Hudson, Guthrie, Oklahoma; Johnny Hudson, Guthrie, Oklahoma; Jimmy Henderson, Sapulpa, Oklahoma; Dillon Henderson, Talala, Oklahoma; Jake Henderson, Talala, Oklahoma; three brothers, Kenneth Henderson, Vacaville, California; Jack Henderson, Tucson, Arizona; Carrel Gene Henderson, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; two sisters, Alice Sandlin, Chow Chilla, California; Maggie Baumann, Palos Verdes, California; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 pm, Thursday, October 4, 2001 at the Freedom Hill Baptist Church, south of Mannford on Hiway 48, Burial will be at the Oak Hill Cemetery in Mannford, Oklahoma under the direction of the Chapman-Black Funeral Home.

''Visit an online obituary and guestbook for James M. Henderson at www.chapman-black.