Born, raised in Wright County, lived there all of his life Harry Farmer Henslee, son of Walter and Laura (Johnson) Henslee, was born Jan. 6, 1911 in Wright County, Mo. He departed this life Friday, April 10, 2009, in Cox Medical Center South, in Springfield, at the age of 98 years, 3 months, and 4 days.
On Oct. 14, 1928 he was united in marriage to Martha “Polly” Wallace and to this union two sons and two daughters were born. Polly preceded him in death on Oct. 1, 1977. He later married Emma “Mickey” Riley in 1983 and together they lovingly spent the past 26 years.
He was also preceded in death by his parents; a son, Denver Henslee; a daughter, Marjorie Prock; a grandson, Glen Wallace; two granddaughters, Lawanda Henslee and Rebecca McSwain; a daughter-in-law, Joyce Henslee; three brothers, Hugh, Bernard, and Leonard Henslee; and three sisters, Josephine Sorrell, Pauline Creek, and an infant, Helen Henslee.
Harry is survived by his loving wife, Mickey, of the home; a son, Steve Henslee, of Mansfield; a daughter, Janet McSwain, and her husband, Junior, of Ava; two stepsons, Jesse Thompson, and his wife, Lavouna, of Mansfield, and Gordon Thompson, and his wife, Juanita, of Rockford, Ill.; 12 grandchildren; 42 great-grandchildren; one great-great grandchild; several step grandchildren and step great-grandchildren; two sisters, Elsie Branstetter and Dorothy Beckley, both of the state of California; a number of nieces and nephews; as well as a host of other relatives and many dear friends.
He was born and raised in Wright County and lived there all of his life. After his marriage to Polly he worked for the highway department, cutting the right-of-way with a team of horses and was usually gone a week at a time. He also worked on the family farm, did custom hay baling, and was a beef farmer.
Harry had made his profession of faith in Christ and attended the Ava General Baptist Church until his health began to fail.
In his spare time he enjoyed being outdoors, going grabbing and gigging and he also loved to go coon, fox and coyote hunting.
Funeral services were held at 2 p.m. Monday in Holman-Howe Chapel, Mansfield, with the Rev. Oren Alcorn officiating. Interment was in Shaddy Cemetery, Grovespring.
