Mr. John C. Henry

John Clinton Henry was born on February 21, 1933 in Isola, Humphreys, Mississippi, and entered eternal rest on March 03, 2024 in Modesto, Stanislaus, California. He was blessed with ninety-one years and twelve days of life.

John was the fifth child of fifteen children born to the holy matrimony of George Washington, Sr. and Isabella Burnley Henry. John Henry was raised in a Christian home, and he accepted Jesus Christ at an early age in Mississippi. John Henry received his formal education in the Mississippi public school system.

Jay or JC, as he was affectionately called, married his childhood sweetheart, Alice Marie Ellzey, on May 19, 1956 in Mississippi. Thereafter, they moved to San Jose, Santa Clara, California, in search of better economic opportunities.

John Henry secured employment with Browning-Ferris Industries about 1957. He worked for BFI until Waste Management was awarded the city’s sanitation contract. In December 1969, John Henry began his employment with Waste Management advancing his position to service mechanic. John Henry had a proclivity for hard work and long work hours. He retired in March 2001 at the age of sixty-eight with over forty-four years of exemplary service in the sanitation business. Upon John Henry’s retirement, he relocated to the San Joaquin Valley.

John Henry was an industrious and caring family man. John Henry and his spouse, Alice, became foster parents about 1960. In their home, John and Alice Henry nurtured many foster children transitioning them from foster care to a return to their parents, other guardians or to adulthood. They also adopted several children. John and Alice Henry held this unwavering commitment to disadvantaged children for over thirty-five years.

Although John and Alice Henry entered their marriage with the best of intentions, eventually, they separated in 2008 after fifty-two years of marriage.

Those who knew John Henry was aware of his propensity for giving a helping hand to whomever needed it. In his retirement years, he was a devoted volunteer doing community service work at the Manteca Senior Center. Also, John Henry, faithfully, attended the Calvary Community Church in Manteca.

John Clinton Henry is preceded in death by his parents and his Henry siblings: George W. Jr., George H., Charlie E., Robert L., Willie P., Queen E. Milon, Cassie M. Olgesby, Bertha McClure and Rebecca Crump. His surviving siblings who are left to cherish his memory are: Elliott Henry of St. Louis, Mo.; Eugene (Katherine) Henry of St. Louis, Mo.; Redessie Robinson of San Jose, CA.; Lavarghn Hurt of Atwater, CA. and Connie Mack (Natalie) Henry of South Bend, IN.

John Henry’s blended family who are left to cherish his memory are: adopted son Michael J. Henry of Atwater, CA.; adopted daughter Kelli D. Henry of Alameda, CA.; granddaughter Ariel J. Henry of Palmdale, CA.; foster daughter Belinda Foster of St. Louis, MO.; granddaughter Tanisha D. Rowe Blake of Duluth, GA. and great-granddaughter Morgan L. Blake of Duluth, GA.

John Henry also leaves behind a host of relatives and friends.

Heartfelt thank you to John Henry’s loving “sister” and guardian, Minister Carolyn Moore-Deeley. We deeply appreciate the love and devotion she has shown to our beloved father throughout the past thirteen years. Minister Carolyn Moore-Deeley made John Henry’s existence in this earthly world a much better place for him to live during his most vulnerable and declining years.

"Sleep, it is Best

Sweet as the tender fragrance that survives,

When martyred flowers breathe out their little lives,

Sweet as a song that once consoled our pain

But never shall be sung again,

Is thy remembrance. Now the hour of rest

Hath come to thee. Sleep, loved one, it is best."

Author: Henry W. Longfellow

In loving memory of our father John Clinton Henry, ninety-one trees, representing each year of his life, will be planted in the Stanislaus National Forest in California.

"Those we love do not go away. They walk besides us every day."

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The family of John Clinton Henry is deeply humbled by the people who expressed sympathy through their random acts of kindness and/or participated in his “Celebration of Life” memorial service with us.

Donations will be appreciated and may be given to CASA of Stanislaus County, California for neglected and abused children.

~Acknowledgements~

Special thanks to: Angie Noia, his God granddaughter and the Caps from Manteca Senior Center, his special friend Joe Alfaro from Manteca, Tina, Cyndi, Eileen, and rest of the staff from Cogir of Manteca, and Bonnie, Gabby, and the rest of the staff from Bonnie’s Care Home of Modesto, his barber Shani McElroy of Manteca, and for many others who were there for John.

A very special thanks to his God son Thomas and his God daughter Denise.