Graveside services for 89-year-old Wallace H. Henderson of Hopkinsville will be at 1:00 p.m. Tuesday, June 17, at Riverside Cemetery.
Hughart, Beard & Giles Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Wallace Henderson passed away peacefully on Friday, June 6, at Bradford Heights Nursing & Rehabilitation after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease and crippling arthritis.
Wallace was born on August 6, 1935 in Hopkinsville and was the only child of Wallace W. and Mary Neville Henderson. He graduated from Hopkinsville High School in 1953 and from the University of Kentucky in 1957 where he was a member of SAE fraternity.
He served his country in the United States Army from 1957 to 1959 and was stationed in Germany. He was in the Army Reserves for three years after his tour in Germany and was called up for active duty for one year during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He was discharged in 1962 after attaining the rank of Sargent E-6.
After his military service, Wallace worked as purchasing agent for the old Henderson-Moorefield Lumber Company and was also a director at First Federal Savings and Loan.
He was active in civic affairs of Hopkinsville and was a member of the Jaycees, was Exalted Ruler of the local Elks Lodge and he was president of the Christian County Humane Society for nine years. He was a member of the Western Kentucky Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society and was its national director for twelve years.
Wallace was a member of First United Methodist Church and served as usher for many years.
Wallace was a kind and caring person with a soft spot for all animals, especially cats. He opened his home and adopted many strays over the years and made sure they were fat and happy for the rest of their nine lives. He also regularly fed several groups of feral cats in the city.
Wallace had no children but he is survived by a number of cousins including John A. Henderson Jr. (Susan), James W. Henderson (Alison), Judy Henderson Jones, John A. Henderson III, and Robert W. Henderson (Kate).
We give a special thanks to the staff at Bradford Heights, to Sherry Allen of Planters Bank Trust Department and to Alton “Happy” Hill who helped care for him.
In lieu of flowers, Wallace asked that donations be made to First United Methodist Church or Max’s Hope Pet Rescue.
