Eileen Frances Henderson

Eileen Frances Henderson, 87 of Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, died Monday, February 10, 2014 at Oak Crossing in Detroit Lakes, Minnesota. Eileen was born on February 28, 1926 the daughter of William and Thora (Thorson) Joy in Detroit Lakes, MN. During her childhood years Eileen's family lived at the State Fish Hatchery grounds southwest of Detroit Lakes. Eileen and her siblings were charter members of the Heart-O-Lakes 4-H Club and attended the Detroit Lakes United Methodist Church. Eileen graduated from Detroit Lakes High School in 1944. During her high school years and after she worked at the Northern Lights Supper Club and at Klein Drug in Detroit Lakes. On September 15, 1946, Eileen married her sweetheart Billy Henderson. This union was blessed with a baby boy, Mark Everett Henderson, on August 20, 1958. Bill & Eileen celebrated their 67th Wedding Anniversary in September of 2013. Throughout their lives Eileen and Bill lived in many different communities including Ogema, MN, Detroit Lakes, MN, Las Vegas, NV, River Falls, WI, Bemidji, Fergus Falls, Perham, Fridley, St. Louis Park, and Inver Grove Heights, MN. She worked side by side with her husband in most all of their food service endeavors including restaurants, college food service operations and "Super Moms" Bakery.They eventually retired to their lake home on White Earth Lake, MN and in 1990 moved to their retirement home in Detroit Lakes where they remained for 23 years. The move to Detroit Lakes was Eileen's dream come true, and where she was able to open her heart and home to family and friends to sit around her table and enjoy a bottomless cup of coffee while reminiscing, talking, laughing, and celebrating on a daily basis. When asked one day what it was like to have all that company, she responded by saying, "Most days it is hard to get much done but I wouldn't have it any other way." Eileen kept a journal that had a daily entry about who had come to visit and the happenings of each day. She also had a birthday book listing the names of family and friends, their date of birth, marriage and deaths. This birthday book inspired her to write cards and letters, which she was the recipient of many in return. She was rich in knowledge and history and even in her last days on earth was known to come up with names, dates and places that others couldn't. Eileen is survived by her son Mark (Robin) Henderson of Granite Falls, MN; two grandsons, Kyle Henderson of Seattle, WA; Jacob Henderson of Denver, CO; siblings, Leatrice Wirtz of Detroit Lakes, MN, Wilbur Joy of Ponsford, MN, Ronald (June) Joy, Natalie (Keith) Bellefeuille of Detroit Lakes, MN and sister-in-law ( Lois Joy) of Mesa, AZ, and numerous nieces, nephews and in-laws, whom she loved dearly. Eileen was preceded in death by her husband William "Billy" Everett Henderson, her parents, William Albert Joy and Thora Christine Joy, one brother, William F. Joy, and infant son, Everett William Henderson.