Breckenridge Texan

Charles “Charlie” Dwain Henderson, 73, of Union Valley, Texas, entered into God’s kingdom on the evening of July 14, 2023. He was born September 1, 1949, to Frances Inez Fincher and Andrew Charles Henderson in Eastland County, Texas. Charles was preceded in death by his mother, Frances, and father, “A.C.”; his infant sister, Cheryl Ray; and his adopted daughter, Annette Rena Taylor. Charles is survived by his wife of 52 years, Pat Henderson; their daughter Pamela Riddle and her husband Matthew; their daughter Rebecca Brown and her husband Benjamin; his sister Rhonda Reeves; his nephew Dr. Justin Gandy with his wife Christy and their sons Zachary and Issac; and his nephew Jordan Gandy and his wife Haley.

Charles grew up in Breckenridge, Texas, a rambunctious, adventurous child with a love of hunting and fishing. He began working at an early age with his first job as a paper route. Every chance he would get, he would finagle a way to get his mother or little sister to roll papers for him and collect the fees for him, so it is obvious that he was a true businessman from the start. He worked hard enough in later years to buy a boat, and his love of being on the water started at Hubbard Creek Lake in Breckenridge. His sister wasn’t much on fishing, so it was not unusual to see Charles and his mom head out early in the morning to go get the catch of the day. Also, while growing up, Charles had a reputation for being a fun guy, but definitely a big tease! His sister’s friends would still remind him of the times he would smash them behind a door, or stick their head in the toilet, or leave bruises on their arms from “frogging” them, which was a thing back then. Charlie would just grin and laugh like he was getting a kick out of it all over again.  Charles always had a love for animals, and at one time he and his sister had 13 pets between them. He was always bringing home baby rabbits, raccoons or birds, besides all of the cats and dogs they already had. He had a huge heart, and he became the man of the house after his father died when he was 12 years old, but he grew to be a very successful person in life, who never forgot his roots, his family, or his friends.

He graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Arts and a teaching certificate from North Texas State University in Denton, Texas. Soon afterward Charles would found C.D Henderson Inc., which he began in 1975 as a sole proprietorship that forged its reputation in the early ’70s through home renovations and grew to become a privately held commercial general contractor with projects in industrial, retail, educational, municipal, and office markets throughout Texas. He received numerous accolades and served on a number of boards during his career. In 1979, he and his wife Pat welcomed his first, and her second child, Pamela, into the world. They decided they wanted to move the family to a more rural location, and by the time Rebecca was born in 1984, he and Pat set about designing their dream home out in Union Valley, which Charles proudly stated was “the only home” that his company has ever built. The Henderson family has lived there since 1988 and continues to enjoy the surrounding wilderness. He taught all of his daughters how to shoot, fish, and identify snakes from an early age, among other necessary skills. As a result, they grew up with a deep understanding of the circle of life and a healthy respect for nature. Charles’ contributions to the communities of both Quinlan and Dallas are marked by a lifetime of servitude and philanthropy. He found and pursued his passion in life and was always there to lend a helping hand to anyone in need.

A visitation will be held from 1-3 p.m. on Thursday, July 20, at First United Methodist Church in Quinlan, and a memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 21, at Hart Cemetery in Breckenridge.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial donation in the memory of Charles to Texas Parks and Wildlife, St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, or to the SPCA of Dallas.

*Obit written by Charles’ loving family.