Henrietta Upton

Henrietta Reeves Upton was born on July 5, 1948. She was born from the union of Henry Link Reeves of Palestine, Texas and Cora Mae Halton of Longview Texas. She accepted Christ early in her life and grew up regularly attending The Free Church of God True Holiness on Carbondale Rd in Joppa (South Dallas) with her family. She served in ministry and sang in the choir faithfully for many years. She attended K.B. Polk Colonial Elementary School, James Madison High School and she finished up her education at Draughton Business School.

A fighter from birth, Henrietta was born prematurely at Parkland Hospital, which in those days was a “Whites Only” hospital in Dallas, TX. She was very sickly and diagnosed as not likely to survive. Cora Mae was told not to get too attached to Henrietta and she was forced to leave the hospital after only a few days due to the laws surrounding segregation being so prevalent in Texas at that time. Cora Mae kept faith, knowing that God is a healer, and we all know how that worked out. Cora Mae taught Henrietta grace, patience, love of family, and the love of God.

Henrietta was a precocious and driven child. She possessed an entrepreneurial spirit, a constant drive, and wanderlust to see the world. Adults in the community took an instant liking to her spirit. In those days, times were hard for everyone, and she wanted more. She would often do odd jobs in the neighborhood, recycle cans, bottles etc. She even made money sweeping up at a local barbershop after school. She was cute, skinny, with both a stutter and a speech impediment which her brother patiently worked her through. She loved music, especially gospel, which she sang in church and school. When she was singing, she had no stutter.

Her attributes made her a target, for bullies. Fed up with the bullies, she spoke to her older brother Skipper. He told her that she needed to handle that situation herself, as the bullies were her age. She did just that! It was well known not to mess with Henrietta because she was not an easy win and would fight do defend herself. Though she was tough, Henrietta would also give you the shirt off her back if you needed it.

Louvada Reeves, her beloved Aunt Vada, was like a second mother. Aunt Vada really loved on young Henrietta and together with Uncle Zeb, they shared in many activities together like gardening, arts, crafts, sewing, going to the fair and rodeo, and little road trips to Palestine. Together they shared in many fun experiences, some of the best memories from Henrietta’s childhood.

Henrietta was a Renaissance woman, an extrovert, nurturer, caregiver and protector of family. Henrietta used all that Cora Mae and Aunt Vada poured into her to chart her path forward. She was the fun Mom/Auntie/Cousin. She often would take all the kids and pile all of them into the car, no seat belt ratio adhered to, and set out on a fun day of adventure. She took kids everywhere, roller skating, ice skating, the swimming pool, the state fair, and the zoo. She never let a birthday go by uncelebrated, often taking the lead to plan the festivities. Henrietta was Mary Poppins, before the movie and likely should still benefit from some sort of royalty checks.

Upon graduating Draughton, Henrietta accepted a job at Texas Instruments. By this time, she had her own car and home on Stoneman St. At Texas Instruments, she met the love of her life, the future Col. Henry Upton. Initially, it was Henrietta’s work friend who showed an interest in Henry, but was too shy to approach him. The friend asked Henrietta to talk to Henry. Henrietta begrudgingly finally agreed to talk to Henry for her, but Henry made it very clear that he was interested in HER! After that, Henrietta tried to avoid Henry, and the whole situation. He always had a way of finding her, and the Lord had a plan for their future together.

They were married during Henry’s tour in Vietnam and raised three amazing sons: Avery, Rossie, and Marcus. She traveled the world with Henry lovingly supporting his military career. The family lived in MD, NJ, CO, Germany, VA, Washington DC, and Hawaii. She was dedicated to Henry her new family. One of the first bases they were attached to was NORAD, or “The Mountain” in Colorado. Henrietta was a part of one of the first civilian groups to work inside of a top classified facility where she earned a top-secret clearance to perform the duties of a data entry computer specialist.

As the kids got older and she moved with Henry on his various assignments, Henrietta began to explore her wanderlust. She told Henry; “you didn’t bring me all the way here just to sit in the house”. In every city they lived in, she insisted that the family “wander” together. She organized many outings, taking the kids and extended family to all the national monuments and natural wonders in the States. After Colorado, then to Germany, Henrietta and Henry purchased a popup camper and would travel to surrounding countries like Austria, Switzerland, Italy, France, and England. They visited the Sistine Chapel, the Leaning Tower of Pisa, the Eiffel Tower, the Coliseum, the Berlin Wall and the Swiss Alps, where they even tried skiing.

Henrietta was creative and always had a passion for artistic endeavors. She worked for a time as a make-up artist at the cosmetics counter at the base PX. She would often participate in the fashion shows that the Officer’s Wives Club would put together. She took an oil painting class and was hooked. So much so that she also sent a seven-year-old Marcus and thirteen-year-old Rossie to oil painting classes as well. She fell in love with the art form and became very good at it, often making her own wooden frames to save money. Oddly she couldn’t draw but she could paint! Her art was proudly displayed in all her homes, and she would often send photos of her work back to Dallas. One of her most prized possessions was her collection of Bob Ross painting episodes on VHS tape.

Henrietta also loved crafting and interior design. She was into fashion design, interior and exterior design, gardening, cooking, do-it-yourself and so much more. Many of the pieces in her house were repurposed finds from the curb, thrifting or clearance shopping. She would spend hours reupholstering, sanding, and refinishing her treasures. A proficient seamstress, Henrietta made her own drapes and window treatments. No one could ever tell her décor was “home-made” until they asked where a piece was purchased from. She could have stared in her own DIY network show. Whether it was an eyebrow pencil, needle and thread, glue gun, belt sander, paintbrush, fabric swatch, or spatula. She knew just what to do with it.

Henrietta modeled the love and support of Cora Mae and Aunt Vada with her own family and the many others whose lives she touched. A loving and generous mother, she loved exposing her sons and her family to different cultures and places in the world – always inviting extended family along on the journey with her. She taught each of her sons to cook and often had them all in the kitchen cooking with her on holidays. She taught them how to swim, how to sew a button on, and how to forage for the perfect pine comb to meet her hot glue gun! She made sure that her children were well rounded, independent, and focused on school. She was a den mother, baseball, track, and football mom. She loved spending time with her husband and three sons, and even enjoyed fishing right alongside them. Some might even say she coined the term BOY-MOM.

Henrietta took great pride in her family and was so elated upon the arrival of her loving granddaughter, Elizabeth. Henrietta and Henry were doting grandparents. Together they raised Elizabeth and instilled in her strong family values and loving childhood memories to carry her through adulthood. Henrietta shared a special bond with her only grandchild and was filled with tremendous pride watching Elizabeth graduate from high school and accomplish her goal of attending college. Elizabeth was a constant by her side-at home and in the hospital, caregiving for her grandmother, helping her fight.

Henry and Henrietta were two peas in a pod, doting on one another and enjoying more than 50 years of marriage. They were a “Godly couple”. Henrietta often described their relationships as a match made in heaven. Henrietta was a loving caregiver to Cora Mae, Henry’s mother Lille Mae and finally for Henry following his lung transplant up until his transition in December 2020.

In 2018, Henrietta was diagnosed with cancer, then in 2021 with a second separate cancer, all while mourning her beloved Henry. Henrietta never gave up, even after being told the fight would only get harder. She stayed the course - holding fast to her faith and her will to overcome. She never lost her zest for life. She left nothing in her reserves. All who were by her side during her final battle would say; “Well Done”! God called her home on Monday, May 22nd of 2023, as she peacefully transitioned to her eternal resting place. Henrietta was preceded in death by her husband; Henry, her son; Avery, her father; Henry L. Reeves, her mother; Cora Mae Reeves, her father and mother-in-law; Henry and Lillie Mae Upton, and her sisters; Linda Joyce Gray and Myrna Gotcher.

Known for bringing style, grace, and elegance to any occasion, Henrietta was a loving and devoted wife and mother, a dedicated daughter, a supportive and caring sister, a comforting aunt, and a cherished cousin, niece, and friend. There are no words that can express how much she’ll be missed.

Those left to celebrate Henrietta’s life and cherish her memory are her sons; Marcus and Rossie Upton, granddaughter; Elizabeth Smith, Brother; Abdur-Rahman Hatim (Aisha A. Khalliq), Cousin; Harold Webb, Nieces and Nephews; Pamela Cutliff, Paula, Yvette, Jamielynn, Coretta, Derrick, Sister in-laws: Gloria “Samara” Jones, Shariffa “Penny” Sonko, Arleas Upton Kea, Rita (Monroe) Daniels, Gloria (Chester) Shepert, and a host of other nieces, nephews, beloved cousins, and many dear relatives and friends.