Anne Marie Henderson

Anne Marie Henderson was born on September 30, 1950, to parents B.T. and Betsy Henderson at Rex Hospital in Raleigh, NC, the first of four children. From her earliest days Anne was a keen observer of the world - thoughtful, resilient, and independent in her own right. She grew up in Raleigh and lived there throughout her life. She spent several summers at Camp Adventure where she served as a counselor – her youngest sister remembering that Anne was always a favorite among the campers. She attended Broughton High School and went on to graduate from Mary Baldwin College in Staunton, VA. Later in life, Anne enrolled in several higher ed courses in environmental and ecosystem preservation simply because this was an issue about which she cared greatly. Curious by nature, she donned several hats working hard throughout her life. She worked as a teller at State Bank of Raleigh, a mortgage loan officer at Northwestern Bank, and in Community Outreach at Meredith College.

Anne loved and adored her family. She did not have children of her own, yet she had children: her many nieces and nephews shone brightly in her world. There was not a holiday or special event with family in Raleigh without her presence. Though “Annie” (as she was lovingly known) was soft spoken, she cared deeply about other people, and championed life changes of all loved ones and friends. To know Anne meant receiving frequent thank you cards, handwritten letters, birthday calls/texts, voicemails, or simple gifts of acknowledgement. According to her nieces and nephews, she never failed to remember one single birthday or special occasion, sending cards and sweet words of encouragement and perhaps a coveted five-dollar bill. It was not surprising to learn a cherished neighbor shared her love of butterflies with Anne and soon received a butterfly sculpture to place in her outdoor space. She paid attention to others in a way that made any person feel seen, heard, and special.

Anne was an avid reader and a staunch advocate for social justice and environmental preservation. She regularly wrote letters and emails to local legislative officials advocating for tighter gun control, improved mental healthcare, reproductive rights for women, environmental protections, and various ways to improve the lives of those living in poverty or under oppression. She hoped for a better world where all people could live a more just, peaceful existence, and in harmony with the natural world.

She supported the arts, and she and her sister Bettie had season tickets to the theater over the past many years. She introduced nieces and nephews throughout their lives to outings at local museums, parks, and historical sites. Anne gifted tickets for her nieces and nephews to movies and to attend plays simply because she wanted to share powerful performances with those she loved. Wildly creative, Anne was a gifted artist at heart. Over many years, she enjoyed art lessons with her beloved art teacher and friend who challenged Anne to play across mediums, styles, and various subjects. Following the passing of her mother in 2014, Anne dove into creative projects. Life soon brought her such joy in welcoming her first great-niece Caroline into the world. Anne began writing wishes she had for her while also drawing a series of insects. She dreamt of turning these wishes and drawings into a book. After months of research, drafting sketches, studying the psychology of colors, and capturing the intricacies of each insect, Anne created and published an A-Z book entitled What I Wish for You and Bugs Too! Her beautiful book for children was dedicated to all future great-nieces and great-nephews, and it is a cherished family treasure as it will continue to be for years to come.

Anne was thoughtful, intentional, generous, attentive, and kind to any person in her family or to anyone she considered a friend. She was a rare bird of a human who took the time to listen to what was spoken and was just as equally thoughtful in her responses. She had an offbeat and even sometimes wicked sense of humor which lent much laughter to get-togethers. She believed moments together mattered above all else. Her life will continue to inspire those who knew and loved her.

Anne will be forever remembered by her sister Bettie Goodwin, brother Terry Henderson (Margaret), and youngest sister Nancy Hurd (Chris); along with nieces and nephews George Goodwin (Sarah), Betsy Goodwin, Thomas Goodwin (Lexy), Will Henderson (Katie), Gray Henderson, Sarah Schlichter (Ed), Frank Hurd (Ally), Caroline Reed (Jamie), and Rebecca Hurd; and by her great nieces and nephews Caroline, Louise, Camryn, Hannah, Sawyer, Henry, Cal, Savannah, Grace and Walker.

A celebration of Anne’s life will take place at 11am on Friday, June 2 at Brown-Wynne Funeral Home, 300 Saint Mary’s Street in Raleigh, NC.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that people consider donating to one of the following of Anne’s favorite charities (online or by mail)Foundation of Hope, 3108 Glen Royal Rd., Raleigh, NC. 27617; or A Place at the Table, 300 W. Hargett St., Suite 50, Raleigh, NC. 27601.