COLUMBUS – Sue Ann Henderson, age 80, of Columbus and formerly of Elwood, passed away unexpectedly on Wednesday, March 8, 2023 at her home.
She was born March 11, 1942, in Elwood, the daughter of Dr. William Cecil and Patricia Ann (Conwell) Fitzpatrick.
Sue was a 1960 graduate of Wendell L. Willkie High School and later received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from Ball State Teacher’s College.
She married her soulmate, Tom Henderson, on June 13, 1965, and they shared more than 57 years of marriage together. Their honeymoon trip was a memorable twomonth tour of many countries in Europe.
Sue was an elementary teacher for 35 years working at Bartholomew Consolidated Schools in Columbus and later retiring in 1990 from the First Presbyterian Pre-School in Columbus. She also formerly worked in Lebanon and Peru schools. Sue truly loved impacting the lives of young children.
Sue was active in her community. She was an active member of the Columbus United Methodist Church and the Marian United Methodist Women Group. Sue was also a longtime member of the Sigma Phi Gamma Sorority in Elwood and Columbus where she had served in various offices including president of the Sorority.
Professionally, she was a member of the National Education Association (NEA), the Indiana Retired Teachers Association (IRTA) and the Columbus Education Association (CEA).
Sue and Tom enjoyed spending time at Lake Webster with their family where Sue was known for being an excellent boat driver for her boys while they waterskied.
Sue’s family and grandchildren were the love of her life. She was a devoted wife, mother and “mammaw” who will never be forgotten.
Sue’s family legacy includes her husband, Tom Henderson of Columbus; two sons, William L. “Bill” (Melissa) Henderson of Greenwood and James T. “Jim” (Edwina) Henderson of Zionsville; brother, John (Bev) Fitzpatrick of Albion; five grandchildren, Megan, Erik, Leif, Ben, and Colin Henderson; sister-in-law, Linda Fitzpatrick of Marion, Iowa; and several nieces and nephews.
Sue was preceded in death by her parents and a brother, William Fitzpatrick.
A funeral celebrating Sue’s life will be at 1 p.m. Tuesday, March 14, 2023, at Copher-Fesler-May Funeral Home in Elwood with the Rev. Howard Boles of Columbus United Methodist Church, officiating. Burial will follow in the Elwood City Cemetery.
Visitation for family and friends will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesday prior to the funeral at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions may be made to one of Sue’s favorite charities, Smile Train – smiletrain.org.
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