Elizabeth Henson

Elizabeth Ann Henson peacefully passed away on Sunday, January 1, 2023. She was born as Elizabeth Ann Christopher and named after an aunt by an uncle, was born on August 10, 1931. Her siblings nicknamed her “Boogie;” not sure why. Although she did say, as a young girl at home she would say, “Someone’s coming, " meaning that she had a feeling that visitors were coming to their home, and she did like to quietly surprise people. Her parents were Otis and Nicey. The family consisted of 8 sisters and 7 brothers. Those 7 brothers, along with 2 sisters preceded her passing. She was the second oldest girl out of the 15 siblings. Her surviving 5 sisters are Gladys, Eunice, Lou Bertha, Corene Heard and Deloris. Living her young life as the daughter of sharecroppers in rural Arkansas, Elizabeth would often say that she would have preferred to have worked in the fields because when the day's work was done at least they could rest, whereas, she had to carry on with the housework duties, including making homemade biscuits, milking cows to cutting her father’s hair, etc. She had a lot of responsibility and shared that she never played with dolls. Albeit she could be seen sitting in a chair reading her Bible, as a child and into adulthood. She would mention at times that she wanted to be a doctor, but her parents did not have the money. Fortunately, after various unsuccessful tries, due to her mother feeling that she was too young to leave home, permission was granted by her mother, so Elizabeth moved from Arkansas to Texas to stay with relatives to go to school. She valued education. There had been other moves, and she eventually ended up in California, where she met and married James Edward. Together they raised 6 children in South Central Los Angeles. Elizabeth became familiar with The Jehovah Witnesses and got baptized, devoting herself to faithful service from her 30’s to 91 years of age. Her favorite song was number 145 in the Song Book, titled “God’s Promise of Paradise, and her most quoted scripture can be found in Matthew 6:33: “Keep on then seeking first the kingdom and his righteousness and all these other things will be added to you.” This is a partial version of the scripture.

Again, Elizabeth moves with her husband James and family to Lake Los Angeles, in the upper desert of the Antelope Valley. Shortly thereafter, due to declining health, James preceded her in passing at age 52. Elizabeth was left a young widow at 40 and had to forge ahead on a lonely difficult road with her children. Her life has been filled with a variety of occupations, from working in a café as a Short Order Cook in Los Angeles, doing live-in work as a Domestic in Beverly Hills, or helping her husband with the family Junk Hauling Business, Elementary School Classroom Aide and finally a Home Health Care Supporter. Some things that brought joy to Elizabeth were spending time with her children and their families, including travelling out of state and out of the country with family members to visit other family members, during which Elizabeth made it known that she really liked blue! She possessed an immeasurable heart and vulnerability when it came to giving to her children, as well as to others and always with a pleasantry . She sought to help people to ease their pain, or whatever difficulties they were facing, while dismissing her own. Even before you could ask her how she was, she would have already asked you how you were. Not surprising, response was, “I’m doing “fine.” Being widowed at the time, Elizabeth was free to start taking the Grey Hound Bus down to Alabama to be the care giver for her ailing wheelchair bound adult child Betty. It was during one of these visits, while attending the local Kingdom Hall and as an active participant in her 80’s, she was introduced to and subsequently married Dr. William Francis “Buzz”. He, too, was a Jehovah’s Witness, to her satisfaction. This union only lasted 2 years, as he also preceded her in passing. In sum, Elizabeth had 6 children, one of whom passed away recently after battling long term illness. Her name was Betty Jean. Elizabeth’s surviving children are Wayne Eugene, Marilyn K., Janette, Joyce Francis and Dr. James Beasley, Jr. Also, surviving her are 12 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. She is to be interred on Wednesday, January 18, 2023, at 2:00 pm at The Mortuary at Green Hills. May she rest in peace.