Dr. Harold Alpheus (Al) Henderson, recently of Birmingham, AL, went to be with his Lord on Tuesday, September 18, 2018, at Cahaba Ridge Retirement Community at the age of 94.
He was born May 6, 1924 in Leoma, TN to Talmadge Presley and Vesta Stout Henderson. Al graduated from Loretto High School, Lawrence Co., TN at age 16. He hitchhiked his way to Knoxville to start his college education at the University of Tennessee (UT) studying agriculture. Halfway through his studies, he was called to serve in the U.S. Marines during WWII with the 9th Marines, 3rd Division on Guam and Iwo Jima and with the 7th Service Regiment headquartered in China. Upon his return to UT he met and married his beautiful wife Joanna McCammon on June 5, 1947 at First Baptist Church in Knoxville, TN.
Together, they embarked on a journey that would take them around the world in service of helping and sharing their love for Christ with others. On their journey, Al graduated from UT with a B.S. (1947) and M.S. (1951) and then went on to earn his PhD from Purdue University in Agricultural Economics (1963). During the Korean War, he served stateside and then later he was attached to the 19th Engineer Reserve Company, in Knoxville, TN. He achieved the rank of captain. He served as a professor at UT, Auburn, Purdue and Southern California Universities. While with USAID and UT, he helped start the Mysore University of Agricultural Sciences in Bangalore, India. Highlights from his long professional career include serving as a consultant to President Sadat of Egypt on redevelopment of the Suez Canal zone and serving as a lecturer for the U.S. Department of State in Trinidad, Barbados and Guyana. He authored eighty professional publications on a variety of topics in agricultural economics, rural sociology, public policy, education, and religion. Al retired from the Agricultural Development Branch of TVA and USDA.
Al enjoyed gardening, writing family and historical short stories and playing with his grandchildren. He was a devoted Christian, kind, and compassionate. He was quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger (James 1:19). He served as a Bible teacher and deacon at Woodmont Baptist Church in Florence, AL for many years. Additionally, he and Joanna served in Alabama Baptist Mission Service Core encouraging other Christians to use their gifts and talents in missions for their Lord.
With a servant’s heart, he served on many professional and community boards including the Florence Exchange Club, Alabama Academy of Science and Alabama Soil Conservation Society. He is well known for servicing as the chairman of the Florence Exchange Club’s annual One Nation Under God Breakfast.
Survived by his devoted wife, Joanna, and his daughter Elizabeth “Libby” (B. James Harwell III) of Auburn, AL; grandson James Patrick Harwell (Leslie) and their children, Madelyn, Brooks, Blake and Cooper of Homewood, AL; grandson Andrew Henderson Harwell (Elizabeth) and their children Wilson, Charlie, and Rosemary of Johns Creek, GA; his daughter-in-law, Jane Dewey Henderson of Grand Rapids, MI; granddaughter, Jeanette Marie Henderson of Grand Rapids, MI; granddaughter Joanne Henderson Vande Werken (Matthew) and their children Knox and Gwendolen of Houston, TX.; grandson, Joshua McCammon Henderson of Alexandria, VA; sister Willa Ruth Henderson Thompson (Brown) of Lawrenceburg, TN and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Al was preceded in death by his parents, Talmadge Presley and Vesta, his son, LTC James Harold Henderson and his brother, Clarence Talmadge Henderson.
The family wishes to extend their sincere thanks to Angel of Mercy Elder Care and Amedisys Home Health Lakeshore of Birmingham, AL for their tender and loving care for Al during the last years of his life.
Family and friends are invited to attend a celebration of Al’s life on Friday, September 21, 2018 at 12:30 p.m. at Woodmont Baptist Church. The family will receive friends at the church from 11-12:15. A graveside service will follow at 3:30 p.m. at Leoma Cemetery in Leoma, TN.
Memorial contributions may be made to Henderson Mission Memorial at Woodmont Baptist Church (2001 Darby Dr. Florence, AL 35630)
An Online guestbook may be signed at www.elkinsfuneralhome.com
