Reverend Francis Edward Henderson

December 2, 1931 – April 7, 2024

Reverend Francis Edward Henderson, 92, of Saint Joseph, Missouri, passed into the presence of his Lord on Sunday, April 7, 2024, after a weeklong stay in the hospital. He was surrounded by his loving family.

Francis was born on December 2, 1931, in O'Brien County, Iowa. He was born to Lawrence and Florence Henderson in a farm house, four and a half miles south of Paullina, Iowa.

As a child he placed his faith in Christ as his Savior during Vacation Bible School at his home church. He attended a one-room school house through elementary school. He graduated in 1950 from Paullina High School and in 1953 from Omaha Bible Institute (Faith Baptist Bible College) with a three year pastoral Bible certificate. On June 1, 1953, he was united in marriage to Ida Elaine Hanson, in Omaha, Nebraska.

Francis was a hard worker and held several occupations.  He was an overseer of boilers at Lutheran Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska, and was an electrician and plumber in Tanneyville, Missouri.  He drove buses for Medora Public Schools and Red Oak Public Schools. At Kansas City Christian School and Calvary Bible College he worked in maintenance. He was a property owner and rebuilt several of his rentals.  Francis volunteered many hours working on projects at Raccoon River Bible Camp.

However, the job and calling he loved the most was serving as Pastor for over 50 years to several church congregations. He pastored in; Tanneyville Union Chapel in Tanneyville, Missouri, Medora Community Bible Church in Medora, Kansas, Grace Baptist Church in Red Oak, Iowa, The Ayore Church (Grace Bible Church) in Morrill, Kansas, Fairview Bible Church in Fairview, Kansas, and Country Church in Rulo, Nebraska.  He was a long time member of the IFCA.

He was preceded in death by his parents, daughter, Lois Henderson, brother, Wilson Henderson, sister-in-law, Arvila Henderson, 3 half- brothers; Joseph (Viona) Henderson, Merritt (Mary Lou) Henderson, and Percy Henderson;  2 half-sisters; Opal (Vic) Uhl and Beatrice (Doug) Henderson and 7 step-brothers and step-sisters.

Francis is survived by his wife of 70 years, Ida, of the home, brother Louis Henderson, sister Louise (Glen) Wright, sister-in-law Evelyn Henderson, step-sister Macil (Lorn) Leeds; three sons, Philip (Debbie) Henderson of Saint, Joseph, Missouri, Edward (Rebecca) Henderson of Saint, Joseph, Missouri and Jonathan (Kellie) Henderson of Belton, Missouri; three daughters, Dorothy  (Jonathan) Luethy of Hikari City, Japan, Brenda (Frederick "Rick") Spencer of  Mountain Home, Arkansas, and Linda (Daniel) Anderson of Springfield, Illinois;  19 grandchildren, Benjamin (Amanda) Luethy, Joseph (Jaime) Luethy, Maria (Michael) Copas, Anna Henderson, Timothy (Sally) Henderson, Rebecca Henderson, Sarah (Glen) Wolters, Heather Grace Spencer, David (Leah) Henderson, Danielle (Andrew) Updegraff, Joshua Henderson, Jacob Henderson, Elisabeth (Lucas) Santos, Micah Anderson, Abigail (Spencer) Smith, Hannah (Lorenzo) Rossi, Bethany Anderson, Rachel Anderson and Josiah Anderson; 25 great- grandchildren, Selah, Kaiyah, Obadiah, and Elleah Luethy, Madelyn and Brielle Luethy, Catherine, Thomas, James, Clare, and Teresa Copas, Samuel, Elisha and Immanuel Henderson, Selah Wolters, Titus Henderson, Elias, Jubilee, Joella, Mathias, Juliet, and Zacharias Updegraff, Joanna Santos, and Adalia Rossi; many nieces and nephews, and a host of people who knew him as Pastor, and dear friend.

His Celebration of Life service will be held at Fellowship Bible Church, Saint Joseph, Missouri, on May 18, 2024 at 11:00am. Visitation with the family present will be held from 10:00–11:00 AM.

A private family graveside service will be held at a later date in Mountain Home, Arkansas.

The family requests that memorial donations be used for Midwest church planting ministries. Donations can be mailed to BGFM global, PO Box 355, Springfield, IL 62705. BGFM global will receipt and distribute the gifts for the family.