Helen Henderson: Youth advocate dies at 94.
FILER—Pioneer woman Helen Henderson died this week at the age of 94, but the impact of her life throughout the area remains, friends and family members say. Her niece, Barbara Holloway, described her as "a lovely, wonderful person" and "clearly a lady -- clear through." But in the Magic Valley, Henderson was best known for her support and encouragement of youth. "Her main interest in life was young people," said retired Twin Falls County Probate Judge ZoeAnn Shaub.
"When I was on the bench, young people would seek her out as a refuge. She was one of the most caring people I've ever known in my life. She was just incredible." Born in Kansas in 1910, Henderson came to Magic Valley with her family in 1911 on an immigrant train with cattle and furniture. She graduated from Filer Rural High School in 1927, then attended the College of Idaho in Caldwell and the Albion State Normal School. A mother of two, Henderson worked as a welfare program director in Mini-Cassia for 10 years, and served as Cassia County's juvenile probation officer until 1959. The following year she returned with her husband Ken to the family's farm in Filer and began serving as the Twin Falls County juvenile probation officer. She worked in that capacity until she retired in 1973. Henderson was honored as Idaho's Mother of the Year in 1971. "She reveled in providing care and support for others," said her son, Kent Henderson who lives in Seattle and works as a human resource consultant. According to her son, she was a passionate woman, "passionate about the love for life and the many opportunities and challenges it presented." Seeing the beauty in others, she seemed to have a way of helping people develop their potential, Irene Link of Boise said. "Helen saw the inner beauty and was the world's greatest encourager," Link said. For almost 40 years, Henderson worked as a volunteer in the Miss Magic Valley Pageant. But it wasn't about beauty. "It was deeper than that," Link said. While she was "a great deal of fun," Henderson's goal was to help girls become their best -- to win a contest for the scholarship money that could help to support higher education. "She was always about looking beyond the pageant," Link said. Henderson dedicated her life to helping young women become poised, productive and happy. Sometimes contestants lived in the Henderson home for one-on-one instruction. She retired from guiding young women to poise following the 45th Miss Magic Valley Scholarship Pageant -- at the age of 87. "She was a pioneer in many ways, in that her life perspective put her in a position of being an independent, influential person in the community and allowed her to take on roles not normally offered or provided to women in her era," her son said.
Times-News, The (Twin Falls, ID) - Saturday, September 4, 2004
Helen Irene Henderson
Filer— Helen Irene Henderson, 94, beloved mother, grandmother and friend, passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2004. She was born on March 19, 1910, in Otego, Kan., the only child of Glen and Veda Doud. At 1 year old, Helen and her family took a long immigrant train trip to Twin Falls County and lived in the Magic Valley continuously from 1911. After attending Union School at Curry, Helen graduated from Filer Rural High School in 1927, and went on to attend the College of Idaho now Albertson College in Nampa and the Normal School for Teachers in Albion. She returned to Twin Falls to begin her professional life as a teacher at the Curry Union School and was then asked to join the faculty at Filer Victory Elementary School. Helen was a born teacher who devoted her life to helping young people. She married Kenneth T. Henderson on May 20, 1938, and was the proud mother of Suzanne Young of Idaho Falls and Kent Henderson of Kent, Wash. In the 1940s and 50s, the family lived in Rupert and Burley, where Helen served as a county welfare program director, as a juvenile probation/truant officer, devoted foster parent for many youths and the only police matron for Cassia County, before returning to her parents' farm in Filer in 1959, where she lived until her death. She loved living on the farm surrounded by plants and animals and the seasons. Helen adored her many pet dogs and cats, fed the squirrels in her yard every morning, and welcomed her fair share of strays -- two and four legged. In 1960, Helen was asked to join the Sheriff's Office for Twin Falls County, where she served as a juvenile probation officer until she retired in 1973. She often played the organ in church and accompanied her husband who was a fine tenor. She was active in her community, including memberships on the boards for the YMCA and Harbor House, a home for children awaiting foster care placement. But her longtime passion was her involvement with the Miss America Pageant. She began as a coach for the Miss Cassia County contest in 1958, worked in the Miss Twin Falls contest for many years and assisted numerous Miss Idaho contestants. She volunteered as a chaperone, judge and pageant official and made four trips to the Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City. Helen was the first woman member of the Lions Club of Twin Falls and spent many years as the Lion Tamer. She was thrilled that her fellow Lions continue to support the pageants to this day. In 1971, Helen was honored as the Idaho Mother of the Year, a distinction she was very proud to have received. Having been nominated by the Lions Club of Twin Falls, she was treated to a New York City trip, where she was named first runner-up in the National Mother of the Year award. She gleefully stayed at the Waldorf-Astoria, which cost $27.56 a night -- an exorbitant sum at the time. She also received the International Melvin Jones Fellow Award for Humanitarian Services in 1995 and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Twin Falls Chamber of Commerce in 1997. She was given an honorary degree from Albertson College of Idaho in 1997 after receiving that school's Distinguished Alumni Award in 1967. She was very proud of her affiliation with Albertson College despite the untimely report of her death in the Alumni Magazine in 2002. Helen was preceded in death by her husband, Ken, and her grandson, Greg Weaver, and is survived by her children, Sue and Kent Beverly, and her three grandchildren, Wendy Kevin Folsom of Nine Mile Falls, Wash., Tiffiny Brian Coffey of Filer, Idaho, and Travis Henderson of Seattle, Wash., as well as her three great-grandchildren, Becky and Ashley Folsom and Quinn Coffey. Helen was a woman full of charisma and grace. She often said she felt her life was charmed and that God had a hand in the many blessings, achievements and loving relationships she experienced in her long life. The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2004, at the First Baptist Church in Twin Falls with the Rev. Ken Gould and the Rev. Joe Lancaster officiating. Burial will follow the service at Sunset Memorial Park. A viewing will be held from 10 to 10:45 a.m. prior to the service at the church. Memorial contributions can be made to the Helen Henderson Miss Magic Valley Scholarship, c/o Lions Club, P.O. Box 896, Twin Falls, ID 83301.
Times-News, The (Twin Falls, ID) - Sunday, September 5, 2004
FILER—Pioneer woman Helen Henderson died this week at the age of 94, but the impact of her life throughout the area remains, friends and family members say. Her niece, Barbara Holloway, described her as "a lovely, wonderful person" and "clearly a lady -- clear through." But in the Magic Valley, Henderson was best known for her support and encouragement of youth. "Her main interest in life was young people," said retired Twin Falls County Probate Judge ZoeAnn Shaub.
"When I was on the bench, young people would seek her out as a refuge. She was one of the most caring people I've ever known in my life. She was just incredible." Born in Kansas in 1910, Henderson came to Magic Valley with her family in 1911 on an immigrant train with cattle and furniture. She graduated from Filer Rural High School in 1927, then attended the College of Idaho in Caldwell and the Albion State Normal School. A mother of two, Henderson worked as a welfare program director in Mini-Cassia for 10 years, and served as Cassia County's juvenile probation officer until 1959. The following year she returned with her husband Ken to the family's farm in Filer and began serving as the Twin Falls County juvenile probation officer. She worked in that capacity until she retired in 1973. Henderson was honored as Idaho's Mother of the Year in 1971. "She reveled in providing care and support for others," said her son, Kent Henderson who lives in Seattle and works as a human resource consultant. According to her son, she was a passionate woman, "passionate about the love for life and the many opportunities and challenges it presented." Seeing the beauty in others, she seemed to have a way of helping people develop their potential, Irene Link of Boise said. "Helen saw the inner beauty and was the world's greatest encourager," Link said. For almost 40 years, Henderson worked as a volunteer in the Miss Magic Valley Pageant. But it wasn't about beauty. "It was deeper than that," Link said. While she was "a great deal of fun," Henderson's goal was to help girls become their best -- to win a contest for the scholarship money that could help to support higher education. "She was always about looking beyond the pageant," Link said. Henderson dedicated her life to helping young women become poised, productive and happy. Sometimes contestants lived in the Henderson home for one-on-one instruction. She retired from guiding young women to poise following the 45th Miss Magic Valley Scholarship Pageant -- at the age of 87. "She was a pioneer in many ways, in that her life perspective put her in a position of being an independent, influential person in the community and allowed her to take on roles not normally offered or provided to women in her era," her son said.
Times-News, The (Twin Falls, ID) - Saturday, September 4, 2004
Helen Irene Henderson
Filer— Helen Irene Henderson, 94, beloved mother, grandmother and friend, passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2004. She was born on March 19, 1910, in Otego, Kan., the only child of Glen and Veda Doud. At 1 year old, Helen and her family took a long immigrant train trip to Twin Falls County and lived in the Magic Valley continuously from 1911. After attending Union School at Curry, Helen graduated from Filer Rural High School in 1927, and went on to attend the College of Idaho now Albertson College in Nampa and the Normal School for Teachers in Albion. She returned to Twin Falls to begin her professional life as a teacher at the Curry Union School and was then asked to join the faculty at Filer Victory Elementary School. Helen was a born teacher who devoted her life to helping young people. She married Kenneth T. Henderson on May 20, 1938, and was the proud mother of Suzanne Young of Idaho Falls and Kent Henderson of Kent, Wash. In the 1940s and 50s, the family lived in Rupert and Burley, where Helen served as a county welfare program director, as a juvenile probation/truant officer, devoted foster parent for many youths and the only police matron for Cassia County, before returning to her parents' farm in Filer in 1959, where she lived until her death. She loved living on the farm surrounded by plants and animals and the seasons. Helen adored her many pet dogs and cats, fed the squirrels in her yard every morning, and welcomed her fair share of strays -- two and four legged. In 1960, Helen was asked to join the Sheriff's Office for Twin Falls County, where she served as a juvenile probation officer until she retired in 1973. She often played the organ in church and accompanied her husband who was a fine tenor. She was active in her community, including memberships on the boards for the YMCA and Harbor House, a home for children awaiting foster care placement. But her longtime passion was her involvement with the Miss America Pageant. She began as a coach for the Miss Cassia County contest in 1958, worked in the Miss Twin Falls contest for many years and assisted numerous Miss Idaho contestants. She volunteered as a chaperone, judge and pageant official and made four trips to the Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City. Helen was the first woman member of the Lions Club of Twin Falls and spent many years as the Lion Tamer. She was thrilled that her fellow Lions continue to support the pageants to this day. In 1971, Helen was honored as the Idaho Mother of the Year, a distinction she was very proud to have received. Having been nominated by the Lions Club of Twin Falls, she was treated to a New York City trip, where she was named first runner-up in the National Mother of the Year award. She gleefully stayed at the Waldorf-Astoria, which cost $27.56 a night -- an exorbitant sum at the time. She also received the International Melvin Jones Fellow Award for Humanitarian Services in 1995 and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Twin Falls Chamber of Commerce in 1997. She was given an honorary degree from Albertson College of Idaho in 1997 after receiving that school's Distinguished Alumni Award in 1967. She was very proud of her affiliation with Albertson College despite the untimely report of her death in the Alumni Magazine in 2002. Helen was preceded in death by her husband, Ken, and her grandson, Greg Weaver, and is survived by her children, Sue and Kent Beverly, and her three grandchildren, Wendy Kevin Folsom of Nine Mile Falls, Wash., Tiffiny Brian Coffey of Filer, Idaho, and Travis Henderson of Seattle, Wash., as well as her three great-grandchildren, Becky and Ashley Folsom and Quinn Coffey. Helen was a woman full of charisma and grace. She often said she felt her life was charmed and that God had a hand in the many blessings, achievements and loving relationships she experienced in her long life. The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2004, at the First Baptist Church in Twin Falls with the Rev. Ken Gould and the Rev. Joe Lancaster officiating. Burial will follow the service at Sunset Memorial Park. A viewing will be held from 10 to 10:45 a.m. prior to the service at the church. Memorial contributions can be made to the Helen Henderson Miss Magic Valley Scholarship, c/o Lions Club, P.O. Box 896, Twin Falls, ID 83301.
Times-News, The (Twin Falls, ID) - Sunday, September 5, 2004
Helen Henderson: Youth advocate dies at 94.
FILER—Pioneer woman Helen Henderson died this week at the age of 94, but the impact of her life throughout the area remains, friends and family members say. Her niece, Barbara Holloway, described her as "a lovely, wonderful person" and "clearly a lady -- clear through." But in the Magic Valley, Henderson was best known for her support and encouragement of youth. "Her main interest in life was young people," said retired Twin Falls County Probate Judge ZoeAnn Shaub.
"When I was on the bench, young people would seek her out as a refuge. She was one of the most caring people I've ever known in my life. She was just incredible." Born in Kansas in 1910, Henderson came to Magic Valley with her family in 1911 on an immigrant train with cattle and furniture. She graduated from Filer Rural High School in 1927, then attended the College of Idaho in Caldwell and the Albion State Normal School. A mother of two, Henderson worked as a welfare program director in Mini-Cassia for 10 years, and served as Cassia County's juvenile probation officer until 1959. The following year she returned with her husband Ken to the family's farm in Filer and began serving as the Twin Falls County juvenile probation officer. She worked in that capacity until she retired in 1973. Henderson was honored as Idaho's Mother of the Year in 1971. "She reveled in providing care and support for others," said her son, Kent Henderson who lives in Seattle and works as a human resource consultant. According to her son, she was a passionate woman, "passionate about the love for life and the many opportunities and challenges it presented." Seeing the beauty in others, she seemed to have a way of helping people develop their potential, Irene Link of Boise said. "Helen saw the inner beauty and was the world's greatest encourager," Link said. For almost 40 years, Henderson worked as a volunteer in the Miss Magic Valley Pageant. But it wasn't about beauty. "It was deeper than that," Link said. While she was "a great deal of fun," Henderson's goal was to help girls become their best -- to win a contest for the scholarship money that could help to support higher education. "She was always about looking beyond the pageant," Link said. Henderson dedicated her life to helping young women become poised, productive and happy. Sometimes contestants lived in the Henderson home for one-on-one instruction. She retired from guiding young women to poise following the 45th Miss Magic Valley Scholarship Pageant -- at the age of 87. "She was a pioneer in many ways, in that her life perspective put her in a position of being an independent, influential person in the community and allowed her to take on roles not normally offered or provided to women in her era," her son said.
Times-News, The (Twin Falls, ID) - Saturday, September 4, 2004
Helen Irene Henderson
Filer— Helen Irene Henderson, 94, beloved mother, grandmother and friend, passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2004. She was born on March 19, 1910, in Otego, Kan., the only child of Glen and Veda Doud. At 1 year old, Helen and her family took a long immigrant train trip to Twin Falls County and lived in the Magic Valley continuously from 1911. After attending Union School at Curry, Helen graduated from Filer Rural High School in 1927, and went on to attend the College of Idaho now Albertson College in Nampa and the Normal School for Teachers in Albion. She returned to Twin Falls to begin her professional life as a teacher at the Curry Union School and was then asked to join the faculty at Filer Victory Elementary School. Helen was a born teacher who devoted her life to helping young people. She married Kenneth T. Henderson on May 20, 1938, and was the proud mother of Suzanne Young of Idaho Falls and Kent Henderson of Kent, Wash. In the 1940s and 50s, the family lived in Rupert and Burley, where Helen served as a county welfare program director, as a juvenile probation/truant officer, devoted foster parent for many youths and the only police matron for Cassia County, before returning to her parents' farm in Filer in 1959, where she lived until her death. She loved living on the farm surrounded by plants and animals and the seasons. Helen adored her many pet dogs and cats, fed the squirrels in her yard every morning, and welcomed her fair share of strays -- two and four legged. In 1960, Helen was asked to join the Sheriff's Office for Twin Falls County, where she served as a juvenile probation officer until she retired in 1973. She often played the organ in church and accompanied her husband who was a fine tenor. She was active in her community, including memberships on the boards for the YMCA and Harbor House, a home for children awaiting foster care placement. But her longtime passion was her involvement with the Miss America Pageant. She began as a coach for the Miss Cassia County contest in 1958, worked in the Miss Twin Falls contest for many years and assisted numerous Miss Idaho contestants. She volunteered as a chaperone, judge and pageant official and made four trips to the Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City. Helen was the first woman member of the Lions Club of Twin Falls and spent many years as the Lion Tamer. She was thrilled that her fellow Lions continue to support the pageants to this day. In 1971, Helen was honored as the Idaho Mother of the Year, a distinction she was very proud to have received. Having been nominated by the Lions Club of Twin Falls, she was treated to a New York City trip, where she was named first runner-up in the National Mother of the Year award. She gleefully stayed at the Waldorf-Astoria, which cost $27.56 a night -- an exorbitant sum at the time. She also received the International Melvin Jones Fellow Award for Humanitarian Services in 1995 and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Twin Falls Chamber of Commerce in 1997. She was given an honorary degree from Albertson College of Idaho in 1997 after receiving that school's Distinguished Alumni Award in 1967. She was very proud of her affiliation with Albertson College despite the untimely report of her death in the Alumni Magazine in 2002. Helen was preceded in death by her husband, Ken, and her grandson, Greg Weaver, and is survived by her children, Sue and Kent Beverly, and her three grandchildren, Wendy Kevin Folsom of Nine Mile Falls, Wash., Tiffiny Brian Coffey of Filer, Idaho, and Travis Henderson of Seattle, Wash., as well as her three great-grandchildren, Becky and Ashley Folsom and Quinn Coffey. Helen was a woman full of charisma and grace. She often said she felt her life was charmed and that God had a hand in the many blessings, achievements and loving relationships she experienced in her long life. The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2004, at the First Baptist Church in Twin Falls with the Rev. Ken Gould and the Rev. Joe Lancaster officiating. Burial will follow the service at Sunset Memorial Park. A viewing will be held from 10 to 10:45 a.m. prior to the service at the church. Memorial contributions can be made to the Helen Henderson Miss Magic Valley Scholarship, c/o Lions Club, P.O. Box 896, Twin Falls, ID 83301.
Times-News, The (Twin Falls, ID) - Sunday, September 5, 2004
FILER—Pioneer woman Helen Henderson died this week at the age of 94, but the impact of her life throughout the area remains, friends and family members say. Her niece, Barbara Holloway, described her as "a lovely, wonderful person" and "clearly a lady -- clear through." But in the Magic Valley, Henderson was best known for her support and encouragement of youth. "Her main interest in life was young people," said retired Twin Falls County Probate Judge ZoeAnn Shaub.
"When I was on the bench, young people would seek her out as a refuge. She was one of the most caring people I've ever known in my life. She was just incredible." Born in Kansas in 1910, Henderson came to Magic Valley with her family in 1911 on an immigrant train with cattle and furniture. She graduated from Filer Rural High School in 1927, then attended the College of Idaho in Caldwell and the Albion State Normal School. A mother of two, Henderson worked as a welfare program director in Mini-Cassia for 10 years, and served as Cassia County's juvenile probation officer until 1959. The following year she returned with her husband Ken to the family's farm in Filer and began serving as the Twin Falls County juvenile probation officer. She worked in that capacity until she retired in 1973. Henderson was honored as Idaho's Mother of the Year in 1971. "She reveled in providing care and support for others," said her son, Kent Henderson who lives in Seattle and works as a human resource consultant. According to her son, she was a passionate woman, "passionate about the love for life and the many opportunities and challenges it presented." Seeing the beauty in others, she seemed to have a way of helping people develop their potential, Irene Link of Boise said. "Helen saw the inner beauty and was the world's greatest encourager," Link said. For almost 40 years, Henderson worked as a volunteer in the Miss Magic Valley Pageant. But it wasn't about beauty. "It was deeper than that," Link said. While she was "a great deal of fun," Henderson's goal was to help girls become their best -- to win a contest for the scholarship money that could help to support higher education. "She was always about looking beyond the pageant," Link said. Henderson dedicated her life to helping young women become poised, productive and happy. Sometimes contestants lived in the Henderson home for one-on-one instruction. She retired from guiding young women to poise following the 45th Miss Magic Valley Scholarship Pageant -- at the age of 87. "She was a pioneer in many ways, in that her life perspective put her in a position of being an independent, influential person in the community and allowed her to take on roles not normally offered or provided to women in her era," her son said.
Times-News, The (Twin Falls, ID) - Saturday, September 4, 2004
Helen Irene Henderson
Filer— Helen Irene Henderson, 94, beloved mother, grandmother and friend, passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2004. She was born on March 19, 1910, in Otego, Kan., the only child of Glen and Veda Doud. At 1 year old, Helen and her family took a long immigrant train trip to Twin Falls County and lived in the Magic Valley continuously from 1911. After attending Union School at Curry, Helen graduated from Filer Rural High School in 1927, and went on to attend the College of Idaho now Albertson College in Nampa and the Normal School for Teachers in Albion. She returned to Twin Falls to begin her professional life as a teacher at the Curry Union School and was then asked to join the faculty at Filer Victory Elementary School. Helen was a born teacher who devoted her life to helping young people. She married Kenneth T. Henderson on May 20, 1938, and was the proud mother of Suzanne Young of Idaho Falls and Kent Henderson of Kent, Wash. In the 1940s and 50s, the family lived in Rupert and Burley, where Helen served as a county welfare program director, as a juvenile probation/truant officer, devoted foster parent for many youths and the only police matron for Cassia County, before returning to her parents' farm in Filer in 1959, where she lived until her death. She loved living on the farm surrounded by plants and animals and the seasons. Helen adored her many pet dogs and cats, fed the squirrels in her yard every morning, and welcomed her fair share of strays -- two and four legged. In 1960, Helen was asked to join the Sheriff's Office for Twin Falls County, where she served as a juvenile probation officer until she retired in 1973. She often played the organ in church and accompanied her husband who was a fine tenor. She was active in her community, including memberships on the boards for the YMCA and Harbor House, a home for children awaiting foster care placement. But her longtime passion was her involvement with the Miss America Pageant. She began as a coach for the Miss Cassia County contest in 1958, worked in the Miss Twin Falls contest for many years and assisted numerous Miss Idaho contestants. She volunteered as a chaperone, judge and pageant official and made four trips to the Miss America Pageant in Atlantic City. Helen was the first woman member of the Lions Club of Twin Falls and spent many years as the Lion Tamer. She was thrilled that her fellow Lions continue to support the pageants to this day. In 1971, Helen was honored as the Idaho Mother of the Year, a distinction she was very proud to have received. Having been nominated by the Lions Club of Twin Falls, she was treated to a New York City trip, where she was named first runner-up in the National Mother of the Year award. She gleefully stayed at the Waldorf-Astoria, which cost $27.56 a night -- an exorbitant sum at the time. She also received the International Melvin Jones Fellow Award for Humanitarian Services in 1995 and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Twin Falls Chamber of Commerce in 1997. She was given an honorary degree from Albertson College of Idaho in 1997 after receiving that school's Distinguished Alumni Award in 1967. She was very proud of her affiliation with Albertson College despite the untimely report of her death in the Alumni Magazine in 2002. Helen was preceded in death by her husband, Ken, and her grandson, Greg Weaver, and is survived by her children, Sue and Kent Beverly, and her three grandchildren, Wendy Kevin Folsom of Nine Mile Falls, Wash., Tiffiny Brian Coffey of Filer, Idaho, and Travis Henderson of Seattle, Wash., as well as her three great-grandchildren, Becky and Ashley Folsom and Quinn Coffey. Helen was a woman full of charisma and grace. She often said she felt her life was charmed and that God had a hand in the many blessings, achievements and loving relationships she experienced in her long life. The funeral will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 8, 2004, at the First Baptist Church in Twin Falls with the Rev. Ken Gould and the Rev. Joe Lancaster officiating. Burial will follow the service at Sunset Memorial Park. A viewing will be held from 10 to 10:45 a.m. prior to the service at the church. Memorial contributions can be made to the Helen Henderson Miss Magic Valley Scholarship, c/o Lions Club, P.O. Box 896, Twin Falls, ID 83301.
Times-News, The (Twin Falls, ID) - Sunday, September 5, 2004
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