On March 14, 1937 at 4:15pm, Pheodica & Carroll Henderson was blessed with a son, George Edward Henderson (Sonny) in Washington, D.C. George transitioned to eternal rest on February 6, 2019 in Knightdale, North Carolina. George was the second child of three siblings, Willie Simpson, Ralph Henderson whom preceded him in death and sister, Carolyn Henderson. George was always, from a young boy, a hard working person.
He was a paperboy at age eleven and this started him on his journey and motto “Strive to better myself, so I can help others”. George was a product of the District of Columbia Public Schools, graduation from Dunbar High School in 1954. He immediately joined the United States Air Force.
After completing his military training, he returned home to marry his childhood sweetheart, Ogarita J. Manigan in 1955. To this union he was blessed with five children, Carola Henderson (who preceded him in death), Anthony S. Henderson, George E. Henderson II. , Marcus A. Henderson and Lisa A. Henderson.
George took pride in providing for his family and demanded respect and discipline from his children. He taught by example, being a man of few words. Taking his family with him through his twenty year journey in the military to different countries and states.
He retired in 1974 with honorable discharge from the United States Air Force and immediately employed himself with WMATA (Metro) as a bus driver. He loved the new change in employment. From Washington’s Southeast Garage to Four Mile Garage in Virginia.
He retired after twenty-eight years of service with many awards of service. George never favored idol time. During his military service, he always worked a second job.
Mainly in security with Pinkerton Security Company. When stationed at IBM in Bethesda, Maryland, he made sure his two son’s, Anthony and George were employed as Maintenance workers to pass on his hard work ethics, although they were still in High School. His words to them were “You still need to finish your homework and if you want anything outside of what I’m required to provide for you, such as Chuck Taylors, You work for it”.
George was a collector of electric trains, comic books, old coins and rare paper money. He loved movies, music and making sure his children enjoyed summer vacations. He also loved animals, always rescuing stray cats and dogs, making sure they were fed.
He loved sitting with his children, giving them test on Government, Math and Trival History. He awarded them if they passed the test. After twenty-years of marriage, George remarried twice – Doris Burriss, where he became step-dad to Krishna Williams, Stephanie McCoy and step-granddad to Kevin Williams, who helped take care of him alone with his wife, Kimberly Williams in his last days in North Carolina.
George also married Elsie Reynolds of Suitland, Maryland. After his divorce from his third marriage, he relocated to Fredericksburg, Virginia, where he met companion Lisa Cromwell, a devoted friend. Not a fan of idol time, George found employment with Walmart and worked there for two years.
We would always ask, “When are you really going to retire? ” He would reply, “I’ll let you know”. After two years in Fredericksburg, he decided to relocate to North Carolina, where he could lay back and enjoy the fruits of his labor but here we go again, George could not settle down.
George decided to go to work for Triangle Transit of North Carolina, where he was back in the driver’s seat for five more years, where he received many awards from 2006-2009. Once his driver days of Public Transportation were over, he decided to employ himself with US Security Company of Raleigh, North Carolina, where he worked for two years. At this point George finally rested until his passing at home peacefully in Knightdale, North Carolina.
Throughout his eventful life, George joined Fort Foote Baptist Church in 1996 after the passing of his daughter, Carol. He was impressed with the young Rev. Dr. Joseph W. Lyles and he has been a member of Fort Foote every since.
George is survived by his four children, Anthony Henderson, George Henderson II (Betty), Marcus Henderson (Angi) and Lisa Henderson; grandchildren, Antania Henderson, Ahmaad Henderson, who preceded him in death, George Henderson III. (Sonny), Gabriel Henderson, David Henderson, Angela Henderson, Anna Vili, Camille Henderson-Feliz, Brandon Henderson, Ricardo Henderson-Thomas, Tiffany Thomas, Nicholas Hewitt, Lisa A. Henderson II. , Candi Henderson and Tina Thomas; thirteen great grand children and a host of family and friends.
You will be sorely missed Father, Dad, Pops. We all loved you in life and will carry the love forever in our hearts and mind even in death. Peace and Blessings.
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