Jane Ann Henson, age 80, of Flora, Illinois, passed away Wednesday evening, March 13, 2024, at her home.
She was born April 23, 1943, in Flora, the daughter of James Carroll and Virginia Lucille (McGannon) Sulsberger. She was united in marriage to Phillip L. Henson on December 9, 1966, in Flora, and together they have shared 57 wedding anniversaries.
Jane was a 1961 graduate of Flora Township High School. She had worked as an office manager at Clay County Rehabilitation for 18 years and she truly enjoyed interacting with all the clients. Jane’s greatest passion was her family and she cherished time spent with her children and grandchildren. She was a brilliant cook, often preparing big meals for her loved ones. The Sulsberger children lost their mother on Christmas day in 1962, and Jane, at the age of 19, bravely assisted her father in caring for her younger siblings. She fondly reminisced about the times spent with her brothers and sisters in their younger years and how she wouldn’t have missed those precious years. Even as she started her own family, Jane continued to provide love and support for her siblings and their families. She was an active and devoted member of St. Stephen Catholic Church in Flora where she served as a trustee.
She is survived by her husband: Phil Henson; daughter: Libbie (Jeff) Oakes; son: Blaine Henson; grandchildren: Noelle Fopay, Kate Fopay, Alison Rudy (Tyler West), Jaidyn Henson, and Colton Henson; great-grandchildren: Liam Bloehs, Lillian Fatheree, Dylan Fopay, Ellie Howe, Wren Howe, Sedona Coin, and Wyatt West; 4 brothers: Jim (Sandy) Sulsberger, Dan (Sally) Sulsberger, Lou (Beth) Sulsberger, Bob (Becky) Sulsberger; 2 sisters: Pat Ridgeway and Ginny (Steve) Rudy; and her beloved fur baby, Grace.
She was preceded in death by her parents; father and mother-in-law: Herb and Marie (Phillips) Henson; granddaughter: Claire Elizabeth Fopay; 2 sisters: Connie Kirby and Helen Powless; daughter-in-law: Joey Cummins Henson; brother and sister-in-law: Floyd E. and Priscilla C. Henson; niece: Alison Henson Smith; nephew: David G. Sulsberger; and a great-niece: Violet Powless.
A funeral mass will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 23, 2024, at St. Stephen Catholic Church in Flora with interment to follow in St. Stephen Cemetery. A visitation will be held from 5-8 p.m. on Friday at Frank and Bright Funeral Home in Flora and from 12 noon until 1 p.m. on Saturday at the church. Memorial donations are suggested to Swann Special Care Center, and these will be accepted through the funeral home. To share a memory or condolence, visit: www.frankandbright.com
