Mary Dendy (11-8-16) service 11-11-16
A virtuous woman, who can find? One has dwelt amongst us and has now been called into the arms of her Most Gracious Heavenly Father – Mary Henley Dendy.
Mary lived a life of devotion to her Lord, her family and friends, her church and her community.
Born in Prairie, Mississippi on March 28, 1931, to Jesse and Mary Bell Henley and transported to heaven on Tuesday, Nov. 8, Mary lived a life that was full of love in action. Her formal education at MSCW in home economics taught her how to nurture her family and her community. Her faith and obedience to the Lord helped her live those ideas to the fullest and to touch everyone around her – sewing, gardening, cooking and decorating. Her actions always spoke louder than her words.
Mary Dendy was guided by one of her favorite verses: “Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in Thy Sight, O Lord, my Strength and my Redeemer.” As an active member of the churches wherever she lived, she served tirelessly with WMU, GAs, kitchen committees, decorating committees, Meals on Wheels, costume committees, VBS, Sunday school classes, leading Explorer Bible studies and other weekly Bible studies. She was equally active as homeroom mother and with PTA/PFO in the schools.
She will be always dearly loved and deeply missed by those she left behind for now: Doug Dendy, her husband of 63 years; Peggy Dendy her daughter in Counce; Debbie Clifton her daughter in Pauls Valley, Oklahoma; Tiffany Clifton Orthwein her granddaughter and her husband Robert in Houston, Texas; and Delta Clifton her granddaughter in Houston, Texas, also; two sister-in-laws and numerous nieces and nephews. The other surrogate family members of the heart and not of blood know who you are.
In her Bible was a notation that said she hoped that the humility characterized by the Proverbs 31 woman would be said of her at the end of her life’s journey. To all that knew her, that hope is a reality.
Also attached was a poem by a friend, Geraldee Frith, entitled “My Dear.”
When someday I leave you,
And your heart is sore grieved;
Do not visit my grave
Lest you be thus deceived
To think that your loved one
Can still be found there,
For I surely shall be
In God’s wondrous “Somewhere.”
So bring me no flowers.
Take your lovely bouquet
To some shut-in person
It will brighten his day!
No, don’t visit my grave;
But please visit instead
The lonely, the aged,
Those ill, and in bed.
Dry the tears from your eyes:
You can manage a smile.
There’s a neighbor in need.
You must go there awhile.
If you truly desire
My memory to please,
Be my hands and my feet
To help each one of these.
If you will serve others
You’ll best prove your love,
And I will smile blessings
On you from above.
In lieu of flowers, Mary’s family requests that a memorial be sent to a charity of your choice or to the Gideon’s Bible Ministry or Oasis Medical Center in Corinth.
Services were held on Friday, Nov. 11, at 11 a.m., at Counce First Baptist Church in Counce, with Rev. Jimmie McChristial and Jim Blaylock officiating. Burial followed in Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery at Woodland, Mississippi.
