Henderson, Marian Delander age 97. April 27, 1923 July 14, 2020. Marian led a full and long life. She embraced the adventure of life. She was the first-born daughter of Nels Paul Delander and Mildred Neuenschwander Delander. She was educated at Summit School, U-High, the University of Minnesota, and finally the Katie Gibbs Secretarial School in Chicago. She worked for the Field Schlick department store in St. Paul until she left St. Paul by train for Los Angeles where she went to work as a stewardess for Western Airlines flying between LA and points North, South and East in Douglas DC 6 aircraft. Eventually she returned to St. Paul and met and married a dashing World War II hero, Capt. Robert J. Henderson Jr. He was a B-25 pilot who flew 42 missions. She then embarked on the most serious endeavor of her liferaising three children Ridge, Chris and Vicki. She was a great Mother, she never tired of hearing it and she heard it often. She supported Bob as he worked his way up at Brown & Bigelow charming his clients when entertaining them at their home. After Brown & Bigelow she and Bob purchased Maud Borup Candies and worked together to make the little candy company successful. She became a Minnesota Vikings fan. Jim Marshall has no idea how much Marian admired and loved him as football player. She loved Mexico. She and Bob traveled in Mexico yearly and she led tours of Mexico with women friends from St. Paul and learned Spanish to make her trips more meaningful and to better barter the cost of the Mexican crafts and art work that she loved. After selling Maud Borup Candies she and Bob moved to Arizona and started another life that included a lot more golf. Bob died in 1992 and she independently proceeded in life. She volunteered at a number of organizations but most important to her was the work that she did with Sister Giovanni and the Guadalupe Area Plan (GAP). Sister G founded the program in 1967 to address the high number of high school dropouts in her community. It remains in service to its community today. She adored her grand children and great grand children. She stayed close to her family on both the Delander and Henderson sides, keeping track of all the nieces and nephews and their offspring. She prided herself on knowing what everyone was doing with their lives and was more than willing to offer advice even when not asked. She had many and long lasting friendships some going back to grade school. Dogs, too many to list, were a part of her life since childhood. Two West Highland White Terriers should be noted here for all the joy they gave to Marian and Bob, Angus and Angus 2. She lived independently until she went into Hospice and she kept her wits until the end. She did everything in her life with a style uniquely her own. She is survived by her children, Ridge Henderson (Karen), Chris Anderson and Vicki Henderson (Sparky). Her grandchildren Amy and Zach Anderson, Wyatt, Elizabeth and Margaret Henderson and Matthew Eichinger. Her great grandchildren Sloan and Tatum Anderson. And by her sister Jane Freeman and her Brother-in-law Jeff Henderson (Nancy). This is all more than she wanted said at the time of her death. She suggested a shorter obit. "She lived, she died, the funeral was yesterday" (not an original from her, but she liked it). The service was in fact last week and we regret that only a few of the immediate family could attend due to the pandemic. Memorials are preferred to Change Inc. and may be made online at "thechangeinc.org/donate" or by mailing gifts to GAP School at 381 Robie St. E., St. Paul, MN 55104. Please mark your donation as given in Memory of Marian Henderson.

Published on August 2, 2020