Lyell James Henderson Jr., 87, of Burnet died Feb. 7, 2015
L.J. Henderson, 87, of Burnet, Texas, suffered a massive heart attack and left this physical world behind on Feb. 7, 2015.
L.J. was born Feb. 16, 1927, in Youngsport, Texas, in Bell County to Lillie Velma Byrd and Lyell James Henderson. L.J. was one of six children: four older sisters, Velma Levera Long (Vea), Ruby Lucille Maddox (Sis), Rayma Lee Eckert and Robbie Aline Hammond; and one younger brother, Don Terrell Henderson.
In 1943, two months before his 16th birthday, L.J. ran away from home, leaving school, and went to join the Navy. He was picked up by the police and returned to his home, and two months later, with his mother’s permission, signed up for duty in the U.S. Navy. After boot camp, L.J. was sent to Astoria, Oregon, where he was assigned to the newly commissioned USS Capicornus, AKA 57, an attack cargo ship also known as the “Scrappie Cappie.” L.J. served during World War II aboard this ship as a boat crew member, and after the war, was aboard ship when she was decommissioned. Because of World War II, L.J. never completed high school. In 2003, during a Veterans Day celebration, L.J. was awarded his high school diploma from the Burnet school district.
After the war, L.J. went to work as an explosives expert. He worked with companies such as Brown and Root, Ryan Construction and finally independently. When Texas and the federal government started requiring explosives experts to have a license to handle dynamite, L.J. applied for and received the very first license in Texas — No. 007. Some of L.J.’s precision blasting still can be seen today, such as the passageways you walk when visiting Inner Space Cavern, the excavation and blasting to build the Sun Bowl in El Paso and the bluff on RR 1431 going into Kingsland from Marble Falls.
On April 16, 1949, L.J. married Johnnie May Tyner. Being a construction worker, Johnnie and L.J. lived in several places during their marriage but settled down in Burnet, bought the old Henderson homestead on League Street and raised their two daughters.
L.J. is survived by his wife, Johnnie May of Burnet; two daughters, Joy and husband Ken Barnett of Burnet and Sabrina Sue Wallin of Burnet; four grandchildren, Clairissa Holland and husband Matt of Burnet, Ashley Barnett and wife Traci of Burnet, Tammy Mobley and husband Brian of Redfield Arkansas, and Erin Rodgers and husband Neel of Glendale, Arizona; 10 great-grandchildren Emily Holland, Jacob Holland, Dustin Barnett, Joel Holland, Rebekah Walley, Leslie Mobley, Katie Barnett, Thomas Walley, Haydn Rodgers and Michael Mobley; sister Robbie Aline Hammond; brother, Don Terrell Henderson; sister-in-law Lahoma Patton; and numerous nieces and nephews.
L.J. was preceded in death by his parents, Lyell and Lillie Henderson; three sisters Vea, Lucille and Rayma; great-grandchilld Ryan Henson Mobley; and son-in-law Randy Wallin.
Family visitation is 6-8 p.m. Feb. 10 at Clements-Wilcox Funeral Home, 306 Texas 29 East in Burnet, (512) 756-2222. A service is 10 a.m. Feb. 11 at the funeral home. Interment will follow at the Burnet City Cemetery. A reception will follow at the VFW Hall on Texas 29.
Pallbearers are Dudley Hall, Terry Calhoun, Roger Owens, Steve Ebeling, Jerry David Pafford and Jimmy Marlow. Honorary pallbearers are Dorman Hunziker, John Hoover and Clayton Lester.