Mary Jane "Janie" Shipwash Henson, age 85, passed away peacefully August 13, 2019, with her family by her side after a brief battle with cancer. She was born January 27, 1934 in High Point, North Carolina, to Art and Mary Jane Shipwash. She married her longtime love, Orville D. Henson, on April 4, 1953, and followed him across the country from North Carolina to California and points in between, eventually moving with Orville to his hometown of Malvern, Arkansas in the early 1970s.
Janie was an honor graduate of High Point High School. She held various jobs in retail and a hosiery factory, but excelled most as a mom and homemaker. She was an Elvis fan and enjoyed following her favorite TV soap operas, but most of all Janie loved children. She babysat grandkids, great-grandkids, nephews, and nieces for years while their parents worked or traveled. The kids loved Granny/Aunt Janie as she would play games with them for hours. She treasured every moment spent with all of them.
She was a member of St. Paul United Methodist Church of Malvern. As someone recently said, she was an angel on Earth, so no doubt she will be an angel in Heaven.
Janie was preceded in death by her parents, sister Gloria Anne Shipwash, brother Jerry Jan Shipwash, brother-in-law JD White, and step-grandson Brandon Lambert. She is survived by her husband of 66 years Orville D Henson of Malvern; daughters Sherry Murphy (Mike) of Thornburg, AR, and Deidre Connell (Tony Davis) of Cabot, AR; sons Gary Henson (Lynn) of Johnson City, TN, Terry Henson (Jackie) of Malvern, and Larry Henson (Joan) of Bush, LA; sisters-in-law, Ann Shipwash of Winston-Salem, NC, Faye White of Malvern, and Bobbie Ruth Guenrich (Jack) of North Little Rock, AR; grandchildren, Jason Murphy (Marla) of Benton, AR, Shane Murphy (Kim) of Thornburg, Michael Henson of Mooresville, NC, Elisa Henson of Johnson City, TN, Eric Henson (Carrie), Mallery Henson (Rachel); step grandchildren Blake Lambert (Brenesha) of Jonesboro, AR, Neal Clayton of Allen, TX, Grant Clayton (Kelly) of Madisonville, LA, and Katherine Davis of El Reno, OK; plus 11 great grandchildren, Chase (Kelli), Chandler and Logan Murphy, BJ Lacy, Hannah and Georgia Miller, Landry Henson, Creed Lambert, Gabrielle Clayton, William and Emily Clayton, and one great-great grandson, Carter Murphy, and her many nephews and nieces and cousins. All of these she loved and touched deeply.
Please join us in celebrating her life on Saturday, August 17, 2019 at St. Paul United Methodist Church, with visitation beginning at one o'clock followed by the memorial service at two o'clock, with Reverend Ryan Bachuss officiating. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Paul United Methodist Church, PO Box 1374, Malvern, AR 72104, or the charity of your choice.
Special thanks to Dr. Lewis Porter of Saline Memorial Hospital, the staff of the 4th floor at Saline Memorial Hospital and at Saline Memorial Hospice of Bryant, especially the angelic caregivers Edie, Samantha, Brittany and Yvonne, and to Faye White for her loving care of Janie in her last days.