Mattie Mae Henderson

It all began on October 23, 1929, in the Richmond Hill Community of Arkadelphia, Arkansas when Percy Lee and Annie Scott Hill celebrated the birth of their daughter, Mattie Mae. She was a 1950 graduate Peake High School and was a member of St. Paul A.M.E Church. She was an active member of the Usher ministry and the City Wide Ushers. Mattie was a fun loving woman and a friendly person whose smile touched the hearts of many. She was a strong woman who loved her family and was a hard worker. She worked several jobs throughout her life including; Gabrielle’s Restaurant, and Neasley Janitorial Services. She also worked for Judge W. L. Langston until his demise. Her last and most favored job was working for the Arkadelphia Foster Grandparents Program. It was when her health failed that she and her mother, Mrs. Hill now 102, moved into Twin Rivers. She never missed a day caring and checking on her mother. After 78 seasons, on Friday, September 5, 2008, at National Park Medical Center, in Hot Springs she surrendered her soul to Christ. She was welcomed to her eternal home by her father, and her husband, Fletcher Henderson; her uncles, Aubrey Hill, Henry Clay Hill, Cleo Hill, Willie B. Hill, and Leroy Hill; and one aunt Myrtle Moore. Her memories will be forever present in the hearts and minds of her mother, Annie Scott Hill of Arkadelphia, AR; her son, Swayze Buford of Richmond, TX; her sister, Brenda K. Williams of Arkadelphia, AR; her aunt, Gertie Mae Dixon of Arkadelphia, AR; four grandchildren, two great grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, numerous friends and the St. Paul A.M.E Church family. Mrs. Henderson will lie in state Thursday, September 11, 2008, at the funeral home from 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. The family will greet friends and share with them the Images of Life DVD from 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Final tributes to the life of Mattie M. Henderson will be held on Friday, September 12, 2008, at 11:00 a.m. in St. Paul A.M.E Church, with Rev. James H. Giles, Sr. officiating. The committal service and final resting place will be in Richmond Hill Cemetery. The bearers of the casket will be Eric Davis, Gary Davis, Maurice Davis, Willie Davis, George Grandy, Bruce Golden and Brian Rutherford.