Helen Hardin

HARDIN, Ms. Helen - Age 69, passed away Friday, October 23, 2009 at Hurley Medical Center. Family hour 1:30PM Friday, October 30, 2009 from the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, 906 W. Flint Park Blvd., with funeral service commencing immediately at 2PM, Pastor Robert Bizzle, officiating. Family and friends will assemble at the funeral home 1:30PM Friday. Ms. Hardin will lie in state in the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, and may be viewed from 12Noon-8PM Thursday. Ms. Helen Henning Hardin was born January 8, 1940 in Shannon, MS to Flenor and Robert Henning. Helen attended grade school in Carrier Mills and Harrisburg, IL and graduated from Harrisburg Township High School “ Class of 1959”, earning a scholastic scholarship to Southern Illinois University in Carbondale, IL. She accepted Christ as her savior and was a member of Bethel African Methodist Church in Harrisburg, IL. Helen taught Sunday School and was very active in all of the youth programs. She held leadership positions in church and the Mary McLeod Bethune Youth Christian Women’s Club. Helen was very articulate and expressed herself very well in spite of her loss of hearing. She was employed by the Illinois State School in Dixon, IL in 1965 and worked there until 1969. Afterwhich, she moved back to Harrisburg, IL until 1972, then relocated to Flint, Michigan and raised her children. Helen was a homemaker and loved to cook, she was always doing for her family and friends. She was Aunt-Grandma to her nieces and nephews as well as her great-nieces and nephews. Helen was a second mother to her sisters as well as blessed mother to her own children and grandchildren. She was the caregiver of her family and friends. Everybody depended upon her to take care of things. To quote a friend, “The Matriarch of our family”. Ms. Helen Mae Hardin leaves to cherish her memory: children, Penelope “Penny” (Chris) White, Helena M. Henning, Rainey (Dean) Johnson and Doug L. Henning; grandchildren, Christopher M. White, Sr., Craig M. White, Shermaine R. Naphier, Penita C. White and Victoria F. White; 2 great-grandchildren, Christopher M. White, Jr. and Anthony R. Watson III; 3 sisters, Parasetta (Hari) Saladin of Marion, IL, Toni F. Henning and Ollie M. Dorsey, both of Flint; 5 nieces, Vivian (James) Bailey of Springfield, VA, Konnie West, Kamonya West, Helena Henning and Kamesha Muggins, all of Flint; 4 nephews, Robert B. Henning of Chicago, IL, Doug L. Henning of Flint, Remus Henning and Rajah (Amanda) Peacock, all of Harrisburg, IL; 3 aunts, Mageline (Fred) Henning of Indianapolis, Earline (LC) Murry of MS and Freeda (Henry) Bizzle of Flint; 4 uncles, Frank (Verna) Harden, Tommy (Jewel) Harden, Henry (Minnie) Harden and Leon (Pearl) Harden of Flint; a host of cousins; 2 aunts-in-law, Druzella Harden of MS and Helen Harden of Flint. Ms. Hardin was preceded in death by her parents, Flenor and Robert Henning; daughter, Mary Anne (Johnson) Naphier; spouse, Rainey Johnson; 2 sisters, Vivian (Willie) White and Coneaous “Connie” Henning; grandparents, Byron (Vivian) Harden; great-niece, Jasmine Flenor Henning; 4 aunts, Dorothy Hornsby, Ollie Johnson, Elizabeth Henning and Adella Harden; and 4 uncles, Benjamin Henning, Leonard, William (Marie) and George Harden.

Helen Hardin

January 8, 1940 - October 23, 2009