Evelyn Recie Brown Henthorn passed peacefully at Hill Regional Hospital on March 21, 2023.  Funeral service will take place at 10:00 am, Saturday, March 25, 2023, at Marshall and Marshall Funeral Directors, Hillsboro.  The family will receive visitors at Marshall and Marshall on Friday, March 24, from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm.

Evelyn was born on May 29, 1928, in Wichita Falls, Texas to William Calvin and Willie Irene Patterson Brown.  She was the next to youngest of twelve siblings. Most of her childhood was spent in the area of Blum, Texas and traveling back and forth to West Texas helping her parents work the fields for various landowners. Evelyn graduated from Hillsboro High School and immediately went to work in the cotton mill in Itasca, Texas.  She loved working in the cotton mill and there she met the love of her life, James Henthorn.

James Leonard Henthorn and Evelyn were married on September 2, 1948 in Hillsboro, Texas.  They were married for sixty-four happy years. James and Evelyn had one child, Sylvia Ann, born on February 23, 1950. 

Evelyn put all of herself into everything she did.  She loved working and held various jobs in the Itasca area, where she retired from the bank after 28 years of service. Evelyn was also a wonderful mother who was involved in every aspect of her daughter’s life, especially school activities.  Their home was always open to the young people, beginning with Blue Birds in first grade, through the American Bandstand afternoon get togethers, Band Boosters and Friday night football. This continued through Sylvia’s high school years, which included all night skating parties and baking numerous pineapple upside down cakes for bake sales. 

She loved many children as her own, especially Judy Parvin Crumpacker who became as a daughter to them and a big sister to Sylvia.  

In 1967, James was ordained as a minister in the Ebenezer Primitive Baptist Church in Hubbard, Texas and she became a minister’s wife.  She lovingly and gracefully supported her husband in his role and served the church alongside him, where she was a faithful member for sixty-two years.

Evelyn was well known for her joy of life, kindness, love for her community, constantly having friends and family in her home and the love that she had for her family and the good Lord.

Evelyn was preceded in death by her husband, James Henthorn, her parents, William and Willie (Patterson) Brown and her eleven siblings and their spouses.  She is survived by her daughter, Sylvia and husband Travis Brown, her grandchildren, Shana and husband Curry Aldridge, Janna and husband Neal Mukherjee and JT Brown, her beloved great grandchildren, Gavin Grisham, Reese Aldridge, Heidi Brown, Cade Aldridge, Landon Mukherjee and Andrew Mukherjee.

Donations may be made to Providence Primitive Baptist Church by mailing checks to 370 LCR 498, Mexia, TX 76667, with memo: Evelyn Henthorn.