Shirley Ann Henderson

Shirley Ann Bell Henderson, 85, of Morehead City, North Carolina, passed away comfortably in her sleep at Bickford Senior Living and Memory Care in Midlothian, Virginia, on Wednesday, January 24, 2024.

The Viewing and Celebration of Life Service will be held on February 3, 2024, beginning at 11:00 a.m. at Ambassadors for Christ Fellowship, 102 Brown Boulevard, Havelock, North Carolina 28532, Pastor Ulysses Dixon officiating.

She was born on March 1, 1938, in Elmira, New York, to the late William Edward Bell and Isabelle Margaret Valentine Bell.

After her high school graduation from the Elmira Free Academy in 1956, she ventured off to the Big Apple where she was employed as a telephone operator and later retired as a Supervisor with the New York Telephone Company (now Verizon) in 1977. During that time, she met the love of her life, Roy Edward Henderson and moved to Morehead City, and they married on September 23, 1977. She began her second career with the North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries and retired on April 1, 1998.

Shirley was a member of Ambassadors for Christ Fellowship in Havelock, North Carolina, where she enjoyed weekly services, Bible Study and lovingly served in the children’s church and other areas for many years.

While Shirley did not have any natural children of her own, she had a love for teaching basic life skills and encouraging young men and women in the things of the Lord. As a result, she was blessed with a multitude of spiritual sons, daughters and even more nieces and nephews. She was “Aunt Shirley” to everyone she met. She was a born nurturer and caregiver. Most of her life was dedicated to assisting in rearing nieces and nephews and caring for her parents in their final years. She also lovingly cared for other family members as well as her beloved husband, Roy. Without a doubt, she loved her family and enjoyed cooking big Sunday and holiday meals. She loved to shop, garden, and decorate her home. She also found time to travel, knit, and create beautiful watercolor paintings.

Shirley was preceded in death by her parents; her siblings and their spouses; Louis Kelly (Della), George Bell (Rita), Jack Bell (Aloma), Gail Bright, Barbara Valentine (Laudrick); and her beloved husband, Roy Edward Henderson.

To carry on her legacy of love, she leaves one sister-in-law, Eleanor M. Davis, a few cousins and a host of nieces, nephews, spiritual sons and daughters, church family and friends.

Condolences and life tributes may be sent to the family at www.noebrooks.net.

Arrangements by Noe-Brooks Funeral Home, Morehead City, NC.