Mary Odessa Sampson Henry
Greenville Herald Banner
April 21, 2006
COMMERCE — Mary Odessa Sampson Henry, 56, of Commerce died peacefully at her home April 17, 2006. Funeral services will be at 11:30 a.m. Saturday at Mount Moriah Temple Baptist Church with Larry Dixon, pastor, and Ronnie Brooks, assistant pastor, officiating. Burial will be at Rosemound Cemetery. Born Oct. 12, 1949, in Commerce, she was one of 13 children born to Leonard and Ira Bryson Sampson. She was married to George Henry Jr. on Feb. 5, 1966; and to this union six children were born, Kenneth, Anthony, Sharice, Patrick, Michael and Ericka. Mary attended public school in Commerce, Pepperdine University in California and was a graduate of Dallas Institute of Funeral Service. She waited until all of her children had completed school and then she enrolled in school. She also devoted her life to serving others and being a true friend to all. She had a special calling to serve others without ever a thought for herself, a truly beautiful saint whose inner beauty and character was reflected in the way she lived her life, fulfilling her Lord’s teaching regarding serving. She was a past president of the Commerce chapter of the NAACP and a past secretary of the Norris Community Club. Mrs. Henry was a member of Mount Moriah Baptist Church, secretary of the choir, and program director for both Rebecca Circle and the General Mission.
Left to mourn her memory are her loving husband of 40 years; two daughters, Sharice Chasi of Commerce/McKinney and Ericka Henry of The Colony; three sons, Kenneth and Anthony (Rolonda) Henry of Commerce and Michael (Tarsha) Henry of Plano; eight grandchildren, Brian Henry and Kendall Henry of Commerce, Sharell Martin and Westly Martin of Paris, Anthony Henry II and Christian Henry of Commerce, Gorgetta Henry of The Colony and Tahara Gibson of Plano; two brothers, Charles (Carolyn) Sampson of Portland, Ore., and Lestor Sampson of Commerce; five sisters, Theresa White and Ruby Allen of Commerce, Gretchen (Joe) McNealy of Center, Dorothy Hamilton of Denton and Ira Jean Sampson of Dallas; godparents Mr. and Mrs. Champion, John and Billie Adair, Harold and Maydell Pannell and Mattie Pannell; special sisters Liz Hines, Mildred Gadlin, Kate Neal, Kelley and Patricia Neal, Rosetta Leary, Louise Adair, Ernestine Drennon and Patsy Mabry; and seven godchildren, Roshunda, Abrasia, Buddy, Samantha, Patricia, Patrick, Anthony, and Daniel; several great-godchildren and a host of other relatives and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents; a brother, Leonard Sampson Jr.; a sister, Sharon Ann Daniels; a son, Patrick Henry and godmother Verda Lee Pannell. Pallbearers will be Chris Harris, Chuck Savage, Anthony “Buddy” Parker Jr., Tim Rector, Anthony Price, Myreo Sampson, Richard Relford, Sammy Joe Sampson, Billy Relford and Anthony Henry. Honorary pallbearers will be Robert Henry, Sam Wilson, Ernest Henry, Billy Wilson, Billy Henry, Joe McNeely Jr., Rodney Henry, Daniel Turner, Douglas Henry, Justin Roland Byrd, Dick Walker and Anthony Pannell. Visitation is from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. today at Jones-Walker & Son Funeral Home.
Submitted by Elaine Nall Bay
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