Clyde Howard Henderson 1932 - 2010

Clyde Howard Henderson, 77, of 219 N. Howard Ave., Landrum died January 11, 2010 at Smith Phayer Hospice House.

A native of Chesnee, SC, he was the son of the late Clyde and Ollie Henderson. He is survived by his son, Thomas Henderson (Wendy) of Landrum, daughter Lori Stelma of Lake Mary, FL, sister, Bernice H. Price (Charles) of Landrum, grandchildren Megan and Elizabeth Stelma, Skylar and Alex Henderson and Katherine Downey as well as numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his sister Muriel H. Underwood.

He retired from the United States Navy as a Chief Petty Officer after 20 years of service, having served in Korea as a member of the Underwater Demolition Team and in Vietnam aboard the USS Forrestal. After his military service, he worked as a civil engineer for Soil and Material Engineers in Spartanburg until his retirement.

He was a loving father, doting grandfather and true friend who will be missed by all who knew him.

He would not permit his son or daughter to discipline their children in his presence. Grandpa was Megan, Liz, Skylar, and Alex's refuge. His embrace could keep them safe. He was always there for them.

We miss him sooo much!

2010

Today is the final day of the first month of 2010. I have not been swallowed up by aliens. We have just had an entirely difficult month.

My Uncle Calbert passed away on Skylar's birthday, Dec 28. That gave us a week of family and mourning for the passing of my beloved Uncle Calbert. I am so going to miss him! It will not ever be the same. I'll never be able to tell the kids to load up into the car because we are going to Uncle Calbert and Aunt Hazel's farmhouse. It will only be Aunt Hazel's. I love my aunt, too. It just won't be the same.

For most of the month of December, my father in law, Howard, was ill. We were taking him to the doctor's office on a weekly basis, but none of the medication seemed to help. He was admitted to the hospital on December 30, the day before my Uncle Calbert's funeral.

On January 4, Howard was diagnosed with lung cancer. A PET scan was ordered for January 5. The PET scan did not reveal any good news. In fact, it revealed the worst news possible. The cancer had spread to virtually every bone in his body and his liver.

He came home with Hospice on January 7. We had to transport him to the local Hospice House on January 10. He entered Heaven's Gates on January 11, at 5 am. Tommy, his sister Lori, and myself were with him when he passed.

Tommy has had a very hard time dealing with the loss of his dad. My children are coping as best they can. Skylar is mad at the world and Alex is having behaviour problems at school. I am trying to keep everyone focused on getting through each and every day.

Friday, January 29. One of Skylar's childhood friends earned his angel wings. Ty had battled brain cancer for 7 years. He was brave, strong and a fighter until the very end. He was 16 years old; only 2 months older than Skylar. They were the 4 Musketeers: Audrey, Ashley, Skylar and Ty. You couldn't see one with out the others.

Catch up

It has been so long since I last sat down to write or blog. December is always a very hectic month in payroll. Year End always has the potential to be a nightmare.

This year has absolutely flown by! I can not believe that at this time last year I was packing for our Christmas trip to visit Tommy's sister and our nieces in St Augustine, FL. We had a great week in Florida last Christmas. We had the kids on the beach on Christmas day and for most of the day on the 26th. We visited the St Augustine Alligator Farm. Alex absolutely loved that. We went to a state park and got to see real live manatees and even an alligator in the wild there. We drove down to Daytona Beach and looked around. We stopped in Cassadaga just to look around. We came home on Skylar's 15th birthday.

In January, Skylar got her driving permit. That was scary enough in itself. It doesn't seem like my little girl should be old enough to drive.

February was when Skylar's basketball season ended and softball season began. She made the varsity team, again. Their unbelievable season took off to a great start. Alex had a great month in school with his reading efforts.

March was the start of a very interesting time. My friend at work, Marlena, had a baby girl, Lola, on Tommy's birthday. I got to fill in for Marlena while she was on leave. Oh what fun that was! NOT!!! I began an I-9 project that seemed like it would never, ever end.

April was a blur of I-9s and softball games. Alex was a trooper about his sister's games. Poor little guy, he hardly knows how to behave away from the softball fields.

May was still a blur of I-9s. Skylar's team began playoffs and ended with a Championship run for the Upper State title. Alex turned 7 years old. We gave him a birthday party in the park. We asked on his invitations for all of his friends to bring their waterguns for a water war. Those kids, and some of the adults, had a blast shooting each other.

June continued the nightmare of I-9s at work. We began planning the activities that we would enjoy in Helen, GA.

July...we went on our very first family vacation that did not revolve around softball schedules. Oh, how much fun it was to just be able to relax and do everything on our schedule and not have to cut activities short and rush to the next ball game. We visited Anna Ruby Falls, the village of Helen, GA, and I got my first tattoo.

August began the new school year for Skylar and Alex. Skylar is currently in the 10th grade at Landrum High School. Alex is in 2nd grade at OP Earle Elementary. Skylar began Colorguard with the marching band.

September was a nice, laid back month. The kids were getting settled into their new school routines and classes. We were able to enjoy several home football games and see Skylar in action with the coulorguard.

October was a nice transition to fall. Skylar had band competitions on just about every Saturday in October. Alex wanted to be a fighter pilot for Halloween. He and I went trick or treating in the pouring rain. We gave up after only a few streets. It was just too wet to be walking through people's yards to get a single piece of candy.

November was a blur. I turned 35. Lori and Elizabeth came up from Florida for Thanksgiving. Alex brought home a lovely stomach flu to share with everyone. I was the only one to escape it. Thank the Lord! I think I went thru 3 cans of Lysol. Lori even took the bug home with her. I can think of better things for Alex to share than the stomach flu.

Here it is December again. Skylar's 16th birthday is one week from today. I will be working all day and part of the night next week on our last payroll of the year. I will get to tell her happy birthday before I leave for work, and hopefully will get to have dinner with her when I get home. We will wait until New Year's Day to actually celebrate her birthday. I will be off of work and we will go shopping at the after Christmas sales for her birthday clothes. I think that is one of the few benefits of having a birhtday right after Christmas. She understands now that when she waits for birthday shopping after Christmas, she will get twice the amount of clothes.

Christmas is Friday. I can't wait for it to be over. I have never enjoyed Christmas. I love the church services and plays, but I can absolutely do without the rest of it. If it weren't for Skylar and Alex, I would not celebrate it at all. No tree, no lights, no gifts. Nothing. I barely tolerate Christmas music. I guess I am a scrooge or grinch. I just have always been disappointed with Christmas and now that I am the only income, it is dificult to know that I can not provide my kids with all of the things that they are asking for. I just want to get thru this Christmas as quickly as possible so that it goes away.

SNOW

I hate snow. I hate the cold. I hate sleet, freezing rain and ice.

Can we move to Tahiti, now? Please? Pretty please?

I'll even homeschool the two hoodlums on the beach everyday. Alex could have a pet starfish. Skylar could learn to hula dance. We'd all be warm, tan and happy.

This weather sucks!

Wordless Wednesday

Go Gators!

Our trip to Williams Brice Stadium in Columbia, SC was a complete and wonderful day! The only problem was Skylar on the crutches, and that only slowed us down a little bit. The kids had a blast tailgating with our friends. Alex learned the finer points of playing cornhole. We were able to make it to the unloading of the buses in time to get some great pictures. As we were in line waiting for the gates to open, we were priveleged to meet Mr. Tebow, Tim's dad. And the GATORS won!


Alex playing cornhole.


Tommy and Skylar


Gators Coach Urban Meyer


Defense Coach Charlie Strong


Superman Tim Tebow

Oh, and just in case you were wondering...Yes, it is true what they say in Cola, SC about Willie B...IF IT AINT SWAYIN', AINT NOBODY PLAYIN'!! The upper deck swayed the entire night, especially when they played "Sandstorm" or as I call it, the "Hamster Dance" song.

Tomorrow, Tomorrow...

I love ya, Tomorrow. You're only a day away....

We are going to the FL/SC game tomorrow in Columbia, SC.

We are leaving Sparkle City around 9 AM. We shall be following our friends, Kristen and Lee. We are going to set up tailgating camp around 10:30 or so. I can't wait!

This will be Skylar and Alex's first ever college game. Alex is so excited that I'm not sure that he will sleep at all tonight. Skylar is excited as well, but being as she injured her knee again tonight, she will be on crutches for the weekend. That has taken some of her excitement away. She'll be ok once we get there, I'm sure. She'll hold court as Princess of the Tailgate once we get there and have all of the grown guys at her beck and call.

I have been baking since I got home from work. Cupcakes and brownies. Alex and I made Orange cupcakes with blue icing and some blue cupcakes with orange icing. I have just put the last batch of brownies into the oven.

Hopefully, we will be able to find where the Gators will be walking into the stadium so we can get lots of great pictures.

Go Gators!