Temple Henderson

Temple Henderson, 91, was born December 18, 1926, and passed away December 23, 2017. He was next to the youngest of eight children of John Levi and Mattie Henderson. He was born on Roaring Rock Ranch between Mountain Home and Hunt and lived his lifetime in that area. Temple was the grandson of earliest settlers of Kerr County, Howard and Narcissa Henderson.\r\n \r\nHe attended schools in Hunt, Ingram, Sunset at Mountain Home and Tivy High in Kerrville. He went to work helping his father on the ranch when his brothers went into the Marines in World War II. He was disqualified since he had polio as a child.\r\n \r\nHe met the love of his life when Wanda Marie Fannin and friends came from Marlin to a local dude ranch to work for the summer. Temple and Wanda married the following year on June 27, 1948, at Stranger, Texas, near Marlin. They were married 69 1/2 years and were the parents of four: Tom, Jan, James Warren and Russell. Needing a home for their family in the late 50's, they literally built a house.\r\n \r\nAlways community-minded, Temple served in many capacities. For over 50 years he served as a deacon of his Church, sang in the choir, was Sunday School Superintendent, led the RA's, a boys' youth group, and currently a member of Sunrise Baptist Church in Kerrville.\r\n \r\nAs a director of the Hill Country Cowboy Camp Meeting his project for the year he was president was to build a new entrance and to relocate it. He served a number of years on the Board of Trustees of the Ingram Independent School District and helped to coach the reinstated eighth grade football team that won district. For 12 years he served as director of Central Texas Electric Co-op, and he helped start the Mountain Home Volunteer Fire Department.\r\n \r\nAs a director of the Hill Country District Junior Livestock Show, he was Lamb Superintendent for 40 years. He helped many neighbors in 4-H to prepare their animals for show. His own children showed livestock from El Paso to Austin and Dallas to Houston. They had a champion lamb in Dallas and placed in San Antonio and Houston. He coached his sons for nine calf scrambles catching each time and Rusty set a record in Houston. He was an active 4-H Leader for over 40 years.\r\n \r\nFor over 60 years, Temple raised and trained registered Border Collie Sheep Dogs. Widely known, he had dogs in the movies, television commercials, loaded and unloaded trucks at auction barns, herded mallard ducks in addition to many regular ranch dogs. He served as a director of the Texas Sheep Dog Association for several years.\r\n \r\nHe was employed by the USDA during the screwworm eradication program, Hill Country Telephone Co-op, Bernhard's Locker Plant, Kerrville Butane, and owned and operated Henderson Feed\r\nand Supply.\r\n \r\nHe was preceded in death by his parents, John and Mattie Henderson, his brothers Irvin, Jack, Clyde, Jasper, and Welton, sister Hatty Sagebiel, and his son Bert Thomas Henderson.\r\n \r\nTemple is survived by his wife, Wanda; and three children: daughter Emily Jan Reeve and husband, Mark of Mountain Home, son, James Warren Henderson and wife, Mary Lou of Childress, and son, William Russell and wife, Becky of Ingram, He is also survived by his sister, Evedee Davis of New Braunfels, brother in-law, Billy Fannin and wife, June from Reno, Nevada and grandchildren: Melissa Valcourt, Travis and Charlie Reeve, Haylee Frankston, Mary Katherine Henderson, Brian Henderson, Jamie McClintock, and Jordan Henderson; ten great grandchildren, and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.\r\n \r\nVisitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, December 26, 2017 at Grimes Funeral Chapels in Kerrville. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, December 27, 2017 at Grimes Funeral Chapels. Burial will follow at Sunset Cemetery in Mountain Home.\r\n \r\nMemorials may be made to the Hill Country Junior District Livestock Association, P.O. Box 291217, Kerrville, TX 78029-1217, Sunrise Baptist Church or a charity of choice.\r\n \r\nThe family wishes to thank the staff, nurses and CNA's at Hilltop Nursing and Rehab for their love and compassionate care for three years. We would also like to thank Dr. Shaw, Dr. Schroeder, Dr. Wright, Dr. Fred Speck, Dr. Boone, and S. Texas Cardiologists.\r\n