Doris Henderson Justice

Doris Jean Henderson Justice, age 97, of Northport, AL, passed away peacefully on March 20, 2025 with her 3 children by her side at Aliceville Manor Nursing Home in Aliceville, AL. She was born in Greenwood, MS on November 27, 1927, just after the Great Mississippi flood of 1927.

One of the finer advantages of living to be over 97 is the joy of watching your “Blooming” family grow exponentially. Every flower in mother’s daylily and iris garden represents a new addition to her family. She watched and oversaw them bloom and grow, every year coming back better, more resilient and equipped to weather life in a better way. She loved contributing to that growth.

As a master quilter, Doris used the same passion to purposefully design and create well over 100 quilts for family and friends. She had an uncanny eye for choosing just the right fabric and placement on her creative project so that the gift was special and expressly made for the recipient in her grand design. She was a charter member of the “Quilters on a Mission” group at Five Point Baptist Church, Northport, AL.

She grew up in rural Leflore County and graduated from Leflore County High School, Itta Bena, MS. She studied briefly at Mississippi College for Women, before traveling to Seattle, Washington, to marry Wesley Walker Henderson, Jr., a World War II Navy man. They were married on January 1, 1946, and remained married until his death on September 1, 1968. This marriage produced three children, Anita Carol Henderson Hodges of Flowood, MS; Wesley Ann Henderson Flaherty of Oakland, TN and Ronald Wynn Henderson (Terri) of Northport, AL.

Once married, Doris and Wesley lived in the Phillipston community. Doris was a homemaker, mother, Sunday School Teacher, PTA president, Committee Woman for the March of Dimes Campaigns, blue ribbon county fair winner for sewing projects and canning foods. She was a member of Morgan City Baptist Church, Morgan City, MS and later member of First Baptist Church in Itta Bena, MS.

She began a professional career outside the home proudly serving Leflore County first as an Administrative Assistant, then as Deputy Director of the Leflore County Civil Defense. Especially noteworthy was her leadership teaching residents to shelter in place in bomb shelters during the 1961 Cuban Missile Crisis, 1971 Mississippi Delta Outbreak tornados that devastated parts of Leflore County and her work on the Mississippi Gulf Coast during Hurricane Camille in 1969.

Doris met Ralph W. Justice, Waynesboro, MS, where he worked with Wayne County Civil Defense. They were married from July 8, 1972, to June 11, 1984. Doris was devoted to his children, Susan Justice Bowles (Robert) of Meridian, MS and Jill Justice Odem (Gerald) on Waynesboro, MS.

Probably her favorite career was a 35 year tenure as an independent Petroleum Landman. Some have said she was the first female landman in the state of Mississippi. She worked for many major oil companies like Arco Oil and Gas, Mobil Oil Exploration, Sun Exploration, Michigan Oil and Gas, Conoco, Inc, Exxon, Inc and Murphy Oil Company. She traveled largely in the Southeast, but had a 4 year stint in Michigan engaging in title search, lease acquisition and curative work.

In 2006, Doris moved to Northport, AL. At her death she was the oldest active member of Five Point Baptist Church, Northport, AL.

She will be missed for her spunk, for her art of excelling and competitive spirit, for always expecting the best from herself, her children and others, and for her love of besting her family and friends in card games and dominos.

She was preceded in death by her loving parents, Emmett Belvin and Clyde Elsie Henderson (nee Duren) and her three sisters, Elsie Dykes, Jane Stout and Bettye Lamb and two granddaughters, Teri Zink (Chris) and Emilie Wynne Martin (Jarrett).

She leaves behind grandchildren David Hodges, Jr (Melanie), Scott Hodges (Shea), Jason Aldridge (Anna), Carrie Hodges Barefoot (Cliff), and Ashley Elizabeth Henderson Mills (Michael). Great grandchildren, Katy Hodges Bridges (Josh), Will Hodges, Cory Zink, Brianna Zink Pickard (Breaden), Ryan Hodges (Lee Catherine), Tyler Hodges, Erica Fason (Olando), Taylor Aldridge Dees (Alex), Cynthia Aldridge, Grayson Barefoot, Oliver Barefoot, Victoria Barefoot, Elizabeth Martin, Alex Martin, Josie Mills and Millie Mills. She had three great grandchildren, Jack Dees, Rivers Hodges and Hutton Pickard, in addition to three nephews and their families and 2 nieces, and a horde of friends.

A visitation for Doris will be held Monday, March 24, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM at Five Points Baptist Church, 3718 36th Street, Northport, AL., followed by a Celebration of Life at 10:00 AM with Dr. Michael Mills officiating. Burial will follow after the service at Itta Bena City Cemetery in Itta Bena, MS.

Pallbearers will be great grandsons and great grandsons-in-law. Honorary pallbearers will be her grandsons.

Many thanks to the staff of the Legacy Assisted Living Facility for her care during her short stay, and to the staff of the Aliceville Manor Nursing facility for the excellent care received during her last days.

Memorials may be made to Five Point Baptist Church and designated to Quilter on a Mission.