Elsie Henderson, 84

We are saddened to announce the passing of our beloved sister, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Elsie A. Henderson.

Elsie was born Sept. 4, 1939, in Sandpoint, Idaho, the fifth of six children to Pete and Simone (Robert) VanDerPas. 

Elsie is survived by daughter Sherie (Don) Hackney; son Greg Henderson; grandchildren Catherine (Braden) McRae, Elizabeth (Sean) Runnels, and John (Erika) Hackney; as well as nine beautiful great-grandchildren: Julian, Scarlett, and Bennett McRae, Nora, Wyatt, and Winston Runnels, and Paige, Hailey, and James Hackney. She is also survived by three siblings, Phyllis Bray, Ed VanDerPas, and Sharon Giese; and many nieces, nephews and other family.  

Elsie was married for 56 years to Wayne Henderson (1932-2012), a local Priest River boy, and accompanied him on many cross-country moves. Elsie was a constant, dependable source of love and stability for her family, and her steady hand saw her daughter and son complete college educations and achieve successful professional careers. On retirement, Elsie and Wayne moved to Spokane and were a daily, loving presence in the lives of their three grandchildren. It was a role Elsie thrived in and cherished. Elsie welcomed and celebrated the births of each of her nine great-grandchildren, who knew her affectionately as GG. She was a model of what good grandparenting should be. She gave of herself completely, showering her family with personalized embroidery projects, gifts, cards, and most importantly, her warm and loving presence.  She was tightly woven into the fabric of our lives, and her loss will be deeply felt. Our confident hope is that she is now in her eternal home, free from pain, and joyfully reunited with her husband, parents, and brothers. 

A viewing will be held from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., followed by a Rosary at 6 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 1, 2024, at Hennessey Funeral Home & Crematory, 2203 N. Division St., Spokane, Wash. Funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m., Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, at Mary Queen Catholic Church, 3423 E. Carlisle Ave., Spokane. To leave an online condolence to Elsie’s family, please visit our website at hennesseyfuneralhomes.com.