MORRISVILLE, SC Herkimer - Gertrude Gert R. Henderson, age 84, formerly of Dickie Ave, passed away peacefully on Sunday, November 25, 2012. Her prayers were answered as shespent her final days together with her loving husband at the Katherine Luther Residential Health Care and Rehabilitation Center, Inc., Clinton. She was born on December 31, 1927, in Dolgeville, a daughter of the late Frank E. and Gladys M. Riley Ritcher. A lifelong area resident she was a graduate of Herkimer High School class of 1947. On September 16, 1950, she was united in marriage to Duard Dewey Henderson in the First United Methodist Church of Herkimer. For over twenty years she was employed with the NY Telephone Company in Herkimer and Utica retiring in 1988. Upon retiring the Hendersons spent their winters in South Carolina, moving to Morrisville, SC in 2000. They returned to the area this past July and have resided with their daughter Gale in Frankfort. While residing in Herkimer she was a member of the First Baptist Church in Herkimer and the New York Telephone Pioneers. Gertrude was a gifted quilter and belonged to quilting guilds in Herkimer and SC. She enjoyed sewing, knitting, crocheting and ceramic art. Her family was always first in her life. She was a devoted wife, loving, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother and gloried in their presence. To all who knew her they will remember her as a caring and helpful women with compassion and strength. In troubled or good times she was always there for family and friends. She touched the lives of many and will be missed by her family and special friends from SC. Surviving besides her husband Dewey of sixty-two years, are a son, Dewey Henderson and his wife Cassandra of Morrisville SC, a daughter, Gale Mergenthaler of Frankfort, five grandchildren, Elyza Jackson, Amie Mergenthaler-Crane, Colby Mergenthaler, Lydia Henderson, and Ryan McCluskey, twelve great-grandchildren, Chelsea, Alexis, Porsche, Chad, Ricky, Kevin, Alex, Natalie, Nathan, Ariana, Dante, and Jacob, one great-great-grandson, Matthew, several nieces, nephews and cousins. Besides her parents she was preceded in death by a cherished grandson Benjamin Mergenthaler in 1993 and her sister Dorothea Monroe in 1998. The family will be present in Fenner Funeral Home Inc., 115 Court Street, Herkimer, to receive relatives and friends on Friday evening from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. followed by a sharing of memories in celebration of her life. The family wishes to thank the staff of Lutheran Care for the compassion and care shown to Gert and her family during her stay. Expressions of sympathy may be made with memorial donation to the Lutheran Home Foundation Gordon Unit, 108-110 Utica Road, Clinton, NY 13323.