Jeanne Beverly Henderson

Jeanne Pearl Beverly Henderson, long-time Concordia, Kansas, resident, died October 9, 2021 in Missoula, Montana at 103 years old.  She was born on May 12, 1918 in Greenleaf, KS to Martha (Padgett) and Earl Beverly.  The next year the family moved to Concordia, KS, where Jeanne lived most of her life.  Her father was a conductor on the Missouri Pacific passenger trains, her mother a homemaker.

She attended elementary and secondary schools in Concordia, joining Girl Scouts and learning the piano. After graduating from Concordia High School in 1936, Jeanne left for nurses’ training at Research Hospital School of Nursing in Kansas City, Missouri.  In 1939, upon graduating from Research Hospital as a Registered Nurse, she married Orville R. Henderson.  They settled on the Henderson family farm near Concordia, and Jeanne began her nursing career at the old Hospital on 5th Street.  Jeanne and Orville would host German POWs that worked on the farm during WWII.  In 1945 she gave birth to Robert E. Henderson.  The family moved into Concordia in 1951, where Jeanne would continue her nursing career in various capacities, until finally retiring in 2001, after more than 50 years of service.  Divorced in 1967, Jeanne and Orville remained friends and supported each other to the end of their lives. After Orville’s death, she moved to Missoula, Montana to be close to her son and his family.

Jeanne was dedicated to nursing and modern medicine.  She served first at St. Joseph’s Hospital; then worked for Dr. John Lathrop, MD; before finally returning to the St Joseph’s Hospital, later the Cloud County Health Center.  She was particularly proud of her work training nurses and spearheading the Coronary Care Unit at St. Joseph’s Hospital.  She loved her Concordia community, as much as her work.  She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church, Research Nursing Alumni Association and the Kansas State Nurses Association.   As a pianist, she greatly enjoyed music and treasured the Community Concerts and the Brown Grand Theater.   She joined reading groups at the Frank Carlson Library, cheered on the KU Jayhawks, travelled with friends and family, and was never without a dog at her side or on her lap.

Jeanne was preceded in death by her parents and Orville.

She is survived by her son Robert (Meg) Henderson, her granddaughter Marika (Jon) Sears  and great grandson Rowan Sears of Missoula, MT, cousin Gary (Sue) Padgett, Greenleaf, KS, and cousin Calvin (June) Padgett, Kansas City, MO.

Jeanne has been cremated.

Memorial Services will be Saturday January 22, 2022 at 11:00am at The First Presbyterian Church, Concordia, KS.

Burial will follow at the Maplewood Cemetery in Greenleaf, KS.

Memorials are suggested to the American Heart Association, the Brown Grand Theater, and the O’Connor Animal Shelter.

For online condolences, please visit nuttermortuary.com