Freda Mae (Bressler) Henderson was born on December 11, 1935, in Overstreet Hollow near Winona, Missouri, the daughter of Albert and Thelma (Brown) Bressler. She departed this life on May 16, 2021, at Mercy Hospital South, in St. Louis, Missouri, at the age of 85 years 5 months.
She attended school at Munsell until she graduated the 8th grade and then started high school at Eminence High School, graduating in 1954. After graduation, she moved to St. Louis where she soon met the love of her life, Gene Henderson, and they were married in 1957.
The second love of Freda’s life was sports and from a young age, she loved playing ball. In high school, she played volleyball and softball. While living in St. Louis she was involved in all types of sports leagues including volleyball, softball, and racquetball. When not playing herself, she was rooting on the Cardinals and attending home games at every opportunity.
Many of her activities were focused around her church, Tower Grove Baptist, where she was a member for more than sixty years. During that time, she served in many roles including Sunday school teacher, Teller Committee member, parking lot security, and working with the youth in the bowling alley and roller rink.
Freda also loved to swim, and in the summer when she came to Eminence, she enjoyed taking all of her nieces and nephews with her to the river. Other hobbies included embroidery, fishing, and singing with Gene in a nursing home ministry.
In 2009, she suffered her greatest loss when her husband of fifty-two years passed away. Shortly after the loss of Gene, she was diagnosed with cancer. She fought a courageous battle with many ups and downs and she was a true testament to 2 Timothy 4:7, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, May 20, 2021, at First Baptist Church, Eminence, Missouri with Rev. Alan Stringer officiating under the direction of Yarber Mortuary, Eminence. Visitation will be held prior to the service from 10:00-11:00 a.m. also at First Baptist Church. Interment will be in Munsell Chapel Cemetery in Eminence, Missouri. Memorial contributions may be made to the Tower Grove Baptist Church in Saint Louis, Missouri 4257 Magnolia Avenue Saint Louis, Missouri 63110. Condolences may be expressed at www.yarbermortuary.com.
