MALVERN -- Rev. Jessie Mae Henry, age 81, of Malvern, Ark., passed away Jan. 13, 2021, in Arkadelphia, Ark.
She was born, March 18, 1939, to Jessy Henry and Allie Mae Henry Ollison.
She was an ambassador for Christ all her life and held leadership positions during church memberships, including Living Water Church of God. As a minister of the Gospel, she obtained her ministerial license from the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) church and was honored to serve as pastor for several AME churches during her career. She loved God wholeheartedly and defied any obstacles appearing to prevent her service, whether it was a malfunctioning car or some other roadblock. Once when having car trouble, she laughingly proclaimed, "Nothing is going to keep me from church!" Then, she proceeded driving in reverse to the church.
Rev. Jessie Mae Henry was kind and loving to all. She was known as "Ma Dear" and "Aunt Jane" by many who loved her dearly. She graduated from Bell High School in Gurdon. She married Willie Leroy Price in 1960 and later, after divorce, moved to New York City, where she met and married Woodrow Wilkins. She was a dependable, generous-hearted person who would give her last to help someone less fortunate. As a tenured employee at Weyerhaeuser, Central Bowling and Timberline, she retired with the highest honors.
She is preceded in death by her parents, Jessy Henry and Allie Mae Henry Ollison; granddaughter, Raushana Porter; nephew, Frankie Walker Jr. and nephew, Joseph Henry.
She is survived by: her sons, Willie Joe (Gloria) Price, Gregory (Rose) Wilkins; her sisters: Dessie Mae Henry, Cleo Edwards, Mary Ruth Bell, Margie (Frankie Sr.) Walker; her brothers: George Henry, Joe (Judy) Henry, Horace (Diana) Henry, J.D. (Sandra) Henry, Sidney (Viola) Henry, Willie Henry, Perry (Natalya) Henry and Jerry (Wilma) Henry; as well as a host of nieces, nephews, grandchildren, cousins and friends.
Visitation will be from 3-5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 22, 2021, at Carrigan Memorial Funeral Service.
Funeral service will be noon Saturday, Jan. 23, 2021, at Mount Canaan Baptist Church, 410 Henry Bell Ave., Gurdon, AR 71743. Burial will follow at Sweet Home Cemetery, 1021 Nevada 41, Prescott, Ark.
The guest registry is at http://www.carriganmemorial.com.
Arrangements are entrusted to Carrigan Memorial Funeral Services.