Marian G. Henderson, 98, Big Lake

October 25, 1924 - July 1, 2023

Marian G. Henderson, most recently of Big Lake, Minnesota, passed away peacefully on Saturday, July 1, at the age of 98 years, 8 months, and 6 days, after being in hospice care for the past nine months. Marian was born October 25, 1924, in Minneapolis to William Henry Henderson and Sufflona Pearl (Heard) Henderson, both originally from Inman Township, Otter Tail County, Minnesota. At about the age of 5 when the Great Depression hit, her family moved back to Inman Township, and it was there that Marian grew up surrounded by her grandparents, aunts, uncles, and many Henderson and Heard cousins, whom she always talked fondly of during her almost 99 years of life.

Marian was a graduate of Henning High School, Class of 1943. The quote printed next to her photo in the yearbook was, “Two days she never worries about – today and tomorrow”, which for the most part was her motto throughout her life. After graduation, Marian moved to Minneapolis to find employment and worked at a variety of jobs over the years. Marian worked as a secretary where she got very good at shorthand, she also “tried” being a waitress (although admittedly, she wasn’t very good at it), she worked at G & K Laundry, and at a hotel or two, and for a short time she worked at Munsingwear, but she was most proud of her time working at Scott Atwater / McCollough Manufacturing assembling boat motors, which she did for over 15 years.

Marian is survived by one daughter, Lana Henderson-Lucas (and husband David) of Zimmerman, Minnesota and one grandson who she adored greatly, Ryan Lucas (and wife Giorgia Greselin), of St. Paul, Minnesota. She is preceded in death by her parents, William (Bill) and Sufflona (Lona) Henderson, her sister, LaVay Parks (and husband Charles), her sister, Ora Mae Henderson, her brother, Russel Henderson (and wife Beverly), one niece, Karen Parks, one nephew, Duane Parks, two great nephews, Derek and Nathan Henderson, and many cousins. Marian was the last surviving grandchild of William Henry Heard and Mary (Jones) Heard, both natives of Durham County, Ontario, Canada, and early pioneers of Inman Township, homesteading there in November 1887.

Marian will be laid to rest in the Inman Township Cemetery on Thursday, July 6, 2023. The cemetery land was owned by her grandfather, William J. Henderson, and became the original one-acre Inman Township Cemetery back in 1908. The cemetery borders the Henderson farm where Marian spent many of her days as a child playing with her cousins.

As I write my mom’s obituary, I am reminded that I have never been much for writing in the third person or traditional obituaries, so I’ll finish with my own sentiments about my mom. My mom was truly one of a kind. She was full of life, strong-willed, very outspoken, a spitfire, and stubborn to her core, who always did things her way, all the way to the very end. She also had a huge heart and always wanted to make sure everyone else always had whatever they needed, even if it meant she went without. Those who knew her know she lived as long as she did because of her love of life and her will to live and believing that she would beat diabetes and diabetic retinopathy (blindness) that afflicted her for the last 25 years of her life. She never stopped believing that she’d get back to Minneapolis, the city she loved so much, and back out on the dance floor dancing to a waltz or the Bunny Hop!

I truly believe my mom is in heaven dancing up a storm (in cute shoes of course!), having a drink or two with old friends, eating Idaho Russet “smashed potatoes” for every meal (with that true Midwestern small town accent pronouncing potatoes ending with an “as” not “oes”), sharing lots of her chocolate treats with everyone, feeding leftovers to the birds and squirrels (especially one squirrel in particular she named Jeffrey who waited for her to bring him peanuts), and giving way too many treats to our sweet little Popcorn angel (our first dog) and our spirited loveable Buster boy (our second dog) who were waiting for her.

I will continue to tell your stories. You will forever be missed. I love you mom.