Claudine Palmer Henderson

THE BEAUTIFUL LIFE OF CLAUDINE PALMER HENDERSON

Etta Claudine Palmer was born in the countryside of Freestone County, Texas to Solola Palmer and Jim Carter on December 10, 1935. Claudine was an only child. Her parents died when she was 3 and her grandparents Deacon David Nelson Demus & Mother Ida Elenora Releford Demus raised her in Mexia, Texas.

With her grandfather being a prominent deacon and her grandmother a mother in Union Baptist Primitive Church, Claudine was steeped in the church from early childhood. The Bible tells us to teach your children when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down and when you rise up. That was Claudine’s life. She was raised in the church, by the church, and never departed from the church. Claudine followed her grandmother’s example and became a faithful mother in Loveland church until a few weeks before she departed this life.

EARLY YEARS

Claudine worked in the cotton field to earn extra money to help with the household expenses and school supplies. Claudine excelled in school and graduated Valedictorian of her graduating class from Furney Richardson High School.

When Claudine was 10 years old she caught the eye of LeRoy Henderson just as a nice little church girl. That was it. But 6 years later when Claudine’s house burned down, the family moved to a home near LeRoy’s family. That was when LeRoy “noticed” her with admiration. She was not only a well raised church girl, she had no boyfriends plus she was very pretty.

Claudine & LeRoy grew up in a country environment where everyone knew everyone. When Claudine went to town, she would see LeRoy just sitting in his car waiting for his family. LeRoy was quite the introvert. He preferred to quietly read and watch people from a distance. Seeing him in town always in his car, Claudine thought he was “weird." Years later when they eventually started dating LeRoy took Claudine to her senior prom...and he sat in his car the whole time!

Growing up Claudine was known as Baby Honey & LeRoy was known as Sonny. Living in the country, they both had many cousins...some of them mutual. One day, Baby Honey’s first cousin Lloyd was going into town. He invited cousins Curly Mae and Baby Honey, and another of his cousins to go with him. The girls said, yes with these instructions from another one of their 22 cousins, “You better take care of Baby Honey." As it turned out, Lloyd’s cousin turned out to be Sonny (LeRoy) Henderson.

Baby Honey and Sonny ended up sitting in the backseat. And interest from a distance that had begun years earlier began to blossom.

Claudine’s grandparents “Mama & Papa” knew LeRoy’s parents. LeRoy asked Mama & Papa could he “court” Claudine, and was given permission.

They started “courting” in 1952. LeRoy was given strict instructions: “Boy you better have her home at a respectable time!” So that there was no misunderstanding, they gave him the respectable time, and LeRoy consistently had Claudine home ½ hour earlier than requested!

That year Sonny’s aunt and uncle came to visit from California. When they were preparing to leave, they asked Sonny’s parents if he could go with them. Sonny wanted to go, but he & Baby Honey were seriously courting by this time. Both were heartbroken. Sonny did not want to leave Baby Honey and she was crying before he even left. But Sonny told her he would send for her as soon as he could. Arriving in California, he got a couple of jobs, and the couple wrote regularly to each other. Time went by Sonny joined the Air Force Academy. True to his word Sonny finally was in position to ask Mama & Papa if he could marry Claudine.

They gave their consent and Baby Honey and her sister, Sylvira, took the train to Union Station in Los Angeles. When they arrived, they called Sonny, but he was cutting the lawn and did not hear the phone ringing. They then called the neighbor who told Sonny, “Your fiancée and her sister are here”.

Everyone lived at the aunt’s house for a season. Baby Honey was still being protected. Sonny’s room was first, the aunt’s room in the middle and Baby Honey’s at the end.

On July 14 Sonny and Baby Honey went to LA City Hall to be married, but found they needed Baby Honey’s birth certificate. Disappointed, they went home and sent back to Texas for a copy. The big day finally arrived and on August 2,1954 LeRoy Henderson and Claudine Palmer were FINALLY united as man and wife.

SEVEN IS THE NUMBER OF COMPLETION

In time the family grew. First came Latanya Rhenee, then LeRoy III, LaRae was followed by sister Lekita Ruth. The fifth to arrive was Lionel Raphael, then Lanier Ravel and finally baby number seven, Leah Rhenita.

A LIFE OF PURPOSE

Claudine was from the old school: “Be a devoted wife and a good mother.” She did both well. As the children grew, she took on more responsibilities outside the home. Moving about as an Air Force wife, Claudine worked as a Civil Servant for many years. She worked at the airport Gift Shop where she excelled in sales. She had such an effervescent personality, customers joyfully purchased gifts for their loved ones at her coaxing.

Claudine also worked as a cashier at the Norton Air Force Base Commissary (AFB), Reserve Pay Technician at Norton AFB. She then worked at the March AFB Hospital & retired in 1998 from Reutilization and Marketing Service in Barstow.

Claudine’s heart was with the children. She served as a teacher’s aid, volunteer school yard duty and was involved in anything that nurtured children.

TRAGEDY IS NOT A RESPECTOR OF PERSONS

When LeRoy & Claudine’s 2nd child, LeRoy III, was in middle school he fell ill. With testing they found out he had been born with only one kidney and that one was failing. After being on dialysis throughout his high school years LeRoy departed this life at the age of 19. Two years later, as their son Lionel was riding his bike home, he was hit by a teenage drunk driver. They later found that driver was actually a student from Lionel’s school.

LOVELAND CHURCH

LeRoy retired from the Air Force in Tuscon, Arizona and the family moved to Highland, California on Nov 1,1975. Claudine and her children attended the Base Chapel for sometime, yet Claudine desired to get more of the Word. In 1976 Claudine came to Loveland Church where Pastor Chuck Singleton was the Pastor. She immediately knew this was home. Claudine and her children became part of the Loveland Church family. She promptly adopted Pastor Chuck and Sister Singleton as “her children”. She was thoroughly involved in the church and loved taking photos of every church event. She served in the Deaconess Ministry, the Bereavement Ministry, Daughters of Dorcas, God’s Woman Conferences, and the Mother’s ministry. Over the years she became known as “Mom Claudine”.

TRAVEL USA

LeRoy & Claudine Henderson and Walter & Bertha Rucker over time became travel partners. Throughout the years they traveled in the family RV with the golf cart in the bed of the truck and the truck hitched to the back of the RV. The four of them traveled to EVERY state in the country. In time they joined the California Cruisers RV club which consisted of 30 to 40 predominantly black RV families.

WHEN WE ALL GET TO HEAVEN WHAT A DAY OF REJOICING THAT WILL BE

Praise God for hope! In her final days, God allowed Mom Claudine to know He was preparing her to come to her “Forever Home”. She spoke with her daughters and grandchildren about heaven. She assured them she was not afraid and one of the first things she was going to do when she got to heaven was to find her 2 sons.

Mom Claudine’s 2 sons; LeRoy III and Lionel Raphael, preceded her in death. Along with her son-in-law Harold (Lekita) Solomon.

She leaves behind her husband, LeRoy Jr. of 71 years. Children: Latanya Rhenee Henderson, LaRae Henderson, Lekita Ruth Solomon, Lanier Ravel Henderson, Leah Rhenita (Patrick) Lewis and a host of grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, friends, relatives, and ALL of her spiritual children.

FAMILY LEGACY

Rhenee’s children eldest to youngest:

Daughter Veronica Rhenee Wherry; grandsons Ayden Prince Eugene Wells; D’maurie Eugene Wells; Elijah Eugene Wells.

Son Lyle Reginald Hunt Henderson; great grandson JaVion Hunt-Henderson; great grand daughter, Amree Lynn Rose Ortiz.

Son, Christopher Lee Williams; wife Vanessa Williams; great-grand daughter Evangeline Rhenee; great grandson Christian LeRoy; great granddaughter Charlotte Rae all children are Williams

Lekita’s Children from eldest to youngest:

Son, LeHendro Rainel Grant; grandson LeHendro Rainel Grant Jr; great granddaughter, Naia Athea Louise Grant and Odessa Marie Eddings.

Great Great Grandchildren (3G’s) Lekita’s —Naia Athea Louise Grant; Odessa Marie Eddings.

Daughter, Lanisha Rekita Gladys Grant (Darnell Harper); LaMarr Rizzario Stephenson, Leilani Raven Hill.

Son Lavan Raphael Charles Solomon; Jordan Elijah Solomon

Son L’Xzander R’mani Stephenson

Leah Rhenita Lewis’ children and grandchildren:

Daughter, LaNya Rise’ Henderson Lyons; Husband, David Vincent Lyons;

Granddaughter, Solola Amanda Lyons; Grandson, Davidson Nyles Lyons

Daughter, LaTesa Claudine McKinney; Great Granddaughters,

Granddaughters, Jalesa Kalise Davis; Cimone Love Davis; Francine Etta Davis,

Daughter - LaRissa Mallory McKinney, 2 Granddogs, Sam and Twix.

Lovingly written by Pastor Charlyn Singleton with Mom Claudine’s daughter Leah Rhenita Lewis