Tombstone Tuesday: HENDERSON, William

William Henderson's full grave site.¹

In Loving Memory
William Henderson
1904 - 1969
At Rest

Brother

William "Bill" Henderson was born in 1904 to Ralph Henderson and Mary King (--?--) Henderson in Scotland and was one of twelve children. He immigrated at age nine with his family in June 1913 on the steamship Hesperian which took seven days between Glasgow, Scotland and Quebec, Canada. From Quebec they travelled via train to Winnipeg, Manitoba and from there to Saskatoon where the family resided.

In 1914 the Henderson family moved ten miles northwest of Shellbrook for the winter, to the Anton Simpson homestead in the Rich Valley district. After a year on there they moved to their own homestead in Foxdale, SW 13-51-3-W3.

William schooled in Scotland, Saskatoon, Rich Valley, and Foxdale until 1920 when he quit school to help his father on the family farm. In later years, William took over the family cattle herd and leased the school section for pasture.

"He took great interest gardening and many times won prizes for his well kept garden.

Bill also spent many hours decorating the hall each year for the school Christmas Concerts. He was also called upon to decorate the hall for all local weddings. He had the ability to turn the hall into a beautiful setting for any occasion.

A few years prior to his death, Bill developed a serious heart condition which eventually took his life. He passed on in 1969 at the age of 65 in the Shellbrook Hospital."²

Sources:
[1]Foxdale Cemetery (Foxdale, R.M. of Shellbrook no. 493, Saskatchewan, Canada; in SW Section 26, Township 51, Range 3, West of the 3rd Meridian), William Henderson grave markers, photographed by Alanna Carswell, September 2009.
[2]Coles, Cathy, ed. "History of Bill Henderson." Our Harvest of Memories: Foxdale, Sturgeon Valley, Silver Cliff, Three Creeks, Rayside, Rich Valley. Shellbrook: Shell River North Book Committee, 1983. p.76. Print.