Evelyne Bell Henderson

Evelyne (Evie) Anita (Bell) Henderson, loving and beloved sister, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, of Wakefield, Rhode Island passed away on November 30th, 2021, at the age of 100. She passed away peacefully. Born in McCook, NE on September 14, 1921, the daughter of the late Hugh McKean and Ava Mae (Conklin) Bell, and mother of the late Bancroft (Skip) W. Henderson III. She graduated from Shenandoah High School in 1939. She attended Kahler School of Nursing in Rochester, MN, then Iowa State University where she met her future husband, Bancroft W. Henderson, Jr., Professor Emeritus of Agriculture at the University of Rhode Island. After his graduation, they were married in Shenandoah, Iowa on December 5, 1941. She lived in Newton, NJ, and Middlebury, CT, before moving to Rhode Island in August of 1946, residing in Kingston and then Wakefield for the remainder of her life. Evie was the secretary of Women’s Physical Education at University of Rhode Island. She then served as assistant to the Conference Co-Ordinator and then as Conference Co-Ordinator for URI until retiring in 1989. Evie was active for years, serving in many organizations in the position of President, Vice-President, and serving on boards. Evie was a founding member of the Courthouse Center for the Arts. She was also a member of the Women’s Club of South County, the URI University Club Board of Governor’s — awarded a Member of Distinction in 1996, — the Willow Dell Beach Club’s Board of Directors, the Triangle Club, the Daughters of the American Revolution, a member and volunteer of the South County Hospital Auxiliary, a member and past president of the PEO Chapter B of Kingston — joining in 1954 — the South County Museum, the South County Art Association, the Fayerweather Craft Guild, the South Kingstown Land Trust, Steering Committee of the Emerati Faculty and Staff Association (URI), a Board Member of the GFWC Women’s Club of South County, the Kingston Improvement Association, the Pettasquamscutt Historical Society and the URI Foundation Campus Beautification Committee, from 1983 to 2008. She was a member of the Kingston Congregational Church since 1957. She traveled extensively to Spain, England, France, Italy, Ireland and took a cruise on the Black Sea visiting Greece, Turkey and the Crimea. Evie is survived by her brother, Hugh C. Bell, of Shenandoah, IA, her son, Roderick B. Henderson and his wife Gail, of Warwick, her daughter-in-law Jane Henderson of Asheville, NC, five grandchildren, Julie Wagner, and her husband James, of Hampton, GA, April DuLac, and her husband Brent, of Asheville, NC, Shawn Henderson, and his wife Rebecca, of Seekonk, MA, Bancroft IV (Scott) Henderson, and his wife Sabrina, of Alexandria, VA, and Michael Henderson, and his wife, Jessica, of Portland, OR, ten great grandchildren, Tyler and Heather Wagner, Taylor and Avery Dulac, Duncan, Isabella and Ciana Henderson, Presley and Bancroft V (Quinn) Henderson, and Rosie Henderson. On behalf of Evelyne, her family would like to express gratitude to all the staff at Brookdale, Southbay for the exceptional care Evie received. For the wonderful, caring nursing staff, the kindness of Dr. Bandola and for everyone who knew Evie and treated her so well, we are so thankful. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Courthouse Center for the Arts. There will be 2 hours of Memorial Visitation at the Avery-Storti Funeral Home, 88 Columbia St., Wakefield, RI, 02879. Date and Time of visitation will be Sunday, December 5, 2021, from 3 - 5 PM. There will be a private internment at the family plot in Rose Hill Cemetery in Shenandoah, IA.