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Alice Marlene Henderson

Tuesday, March 10, 2026 at 2:22 PM

By Brittany Gasama

Alice Marlene Henderson, age 89, passed away on March 4, 2026.

Alice Marlene Henderson, 89 of Purdy, entered into rest on March 4, 2026 in Cassville, MO.

Marlene was born May 27, 1936 in Shell Knob, MO to Emmitt & Iva Jennings.  Marlene grew up in Shell Knob during her youth, attended high school in Aurora and later graduated from Branson High School.  She earned her bachelor’s degree at School of the Ozarks in Pt. Lookout, MO and later a Masters Degree at Southwest Missouri State in Springfield.

On July 10, 1953, Marlene married Roy Dean Henderson. They were blessed with one daughter, Vicki.

Along with being an amazing wife and mother, Marlene devoted her life to education and was a 1st grade teacher many years in the Branson School system. Teaching was her passion and it was evident by the number of parents that would request her as their child’s teacher.

Marlene’s hobbies were gardening and canning.  She also loved going to Derby Point and Shell Knob with Roy to do trotline fishing and on many of their fishing trips they enjoyed the company and spending time with their grandson, Curtis.  She and Roy were also huge fans of Curtis’s baseball career, watching his earliest t-ball games to his accomplishment of playing college ball. They had also enjoyed time watching their daughter Vicki competing in horse show time events throughout Southwest Missouri.

Marlene’s life was a testament to her care for others and her faith.  She not only poured into the lives of children and their families through teaching, she also spent many hours volunteering at Skaggs Hospital.  She was a longtime member of the Christian Church in downtown Branson where her devotion to and love for Christ was deepened over her many years and shown through her love for others.  She loved deeply and was deeply loved and will be sorely missed.

Marlene was preceded in death by her parents, Emmitt & Iva; her husband, Roy; and siblings, Carl Jennings, Lenore Brisco, Alberta Zimmerman and Paul Jennings.

She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Vicki & Rick Epperly of Purdy and one grandson, Curtis Epperly.

A graveside service will be held Thursday, March 12, 2026 at 2:00 pm in Ozarks Memorial Park Cemetery, Branson under the direction of Snapp-Bearden Funeral Home & Crematory, Branson.

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