Lula Henderson

September 1, 1932 - December 13, 2019

Lula Gwendolyn (Gear) Henderson was born on September 1, 1932, in Chicago, Illinois. She was the first of three children born to the late Randolph Gear Senior and Mary Adele Gear. She attended Forestville and Fuller Elementary Public Schools in Chicago. The family relocated to Detroit, Michigan, in 1942. Lula entered Alger Elementary School in Detroit. The family later moved to the township of Romulus, where she attended and graduated from Corey Elementary School. After graduating from Corey, Lula entered and graduated from Romulus High School and furthered her education at Tidewater Community College (Princess Ann College) in Virginia Beach, Virginia. While in high school, Lula was very active in civic and community organizations. She truly enjoyed her active membership in the Useful Girls Club (UGC). The club was sponsored and supervised by the prominent civic leader, Mrs. Hazel Harrison, the first African American two-term Justice of the Peace in Romulus, Michigan. A musical talent, Lula enjoyed playing the piano. She faithfully studied and played the piano under the direction of her musical instructor Mrs. Valeria Thomas. Lula was a profound artist. Her favorite hobby was drawing and painting watercolor pictures. Several of her paintings were featured in the Atlanta National Black Arts Festival. During her later years, she participated in the annual Ann Arbor Arts Festival. Lula joined the United States Army during urgent wartime demands. She entered the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) during a period when the United States Army remained gender restricted. In 1955, Private Lula G. Gear attended basic training at Fort McClellan in Anniston, Alabama. Private Gear was assigned to the Women’s Army Corps (WAC) Basic Training Center, Second Platoon, Section C, Company C, at Fort McClellan, Alabama. After graduating from basic training, Private Gear’s first duty assignment was in Oakland, California. She served as a clerk typist for the Headquarters and Headquarters Company (HHC) 6020 SU, Oakland Army Base, Oakland, California. Within the first three months of her first duty assignment, Lula was promoted to the rank of Private First Class. In 1997, Lula became a charter member and supporter of the nation’s most historic treasure—The Women’s Memorial—Women in Military Service for America Memorial, an organization located in Arlington, Virginia. It was in California where Lula met the love of her life, the late Jesse Henderson of Plains, Georgia. They married, and from this union, two children were born; Joyce and Sherry. Strong in her religious faith, Lula was responsible for her entire family converting to Catholicism. On November 22, 1965, Lula received the Sacrament of Baptism, and on November 28, 1965, she received the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist at Saint Aloysius Roman Catholic Church, Romulus, Michigan. A soldier of the Lord, Lula received the Sacrament of Confirmation on June 5, 1966, at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament Roman Catholic Cathedral--Archdiocese of Detroit, Michigan. Today, the Cathedral is listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places. In her later years, she joined Saint Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and also attended Mass at Saint Joseph’s Village as a resident. Lula was a devoted and caring daughter, sister, wife, mother, soldier, and friend. She enjoyed family, friends, and holiday gatherings. She was affectionately known to all by her nickname, “Wendy,” “Gwen,” “Gwendolyn,” “Lula,” “Miss Lula,” and Mrs. Henderson. She leaves to mourn, two devoted daughters, Joyce Henderson, (LTC. Retired, U.S. Army), Alexandria, VA; and Mrs. Sherry (Darryl) Young, Belleville, MI; one devoted brother, Randolph (Shawn) Gear Jr., (Honorable Mayor Pro Tem Retired, Romulus, MI), Mesa, AZ; and a host of family members, nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends from: Atlanta, Birmingham, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Las Vegas, Romulus and Ann Arbor.