Mae Henrichs passed away at Tendercare Cass City on January 30, 2012 at age 91. Mrs. Henrichs was born in Barron County, Wisconsin on February 4, 1920, the second of six children, to Martin N. and Stella A. (Hover) Rockman. She graduated from Barron High School in 1938 and then attended what is now the University of Wisconsin at River Falls where she earned a B. S. in Teacher Education. On August 29, 1941, she and the late Vernon L. Henrichs eloped to Decorah, Iowa, where they were married in the parsonage of the Methodist Church. They were married for nearly 68 years. Mrs. Henrichs had lived in Tuscola County, principally the Caro area, since June of 1952. Before that, she and Vernon and their children resided in Wisconsin, Alabama, and briefly in Tennessee. She taught school in Wisconsin, Alabama and Michigan. From 1950 until 1961, she was a stay at home mother; then she returned to teaching. Her first teaching position in Michigan was at the Rowley School outside of Vassar. In 1962 she was hired into the now Unionville –Sebewaing Area Schools and taught in Unionville until 1977. Most of her teaching years were as an elementary school Special Education teacher. Mrs. Henrichs was a member of the Caro United Methodist Church and prior to that, was a charter member of the Wahjamega Country Church. She was also involved in many community organizations including the Reese American Legion Post 139 Women's Auxiliary where she held several offices including President. She also belonged to the Caro VanWinkle Club; the local rock club; the genealogy club; the Michigan Education Association; was a charter member of the Tuscola County Association for Retarded Children; and a member of the Michigan Association for Retarded Children. Her hobbies included knitting, crocheting, china painting and rock hounding.
She is survived by her sons, Joel of Caro, and Steven Henrichs and Barbara Meyerholz of Glendale, Arizona, and her daughter, Stella (James) Switala of Ypsilanti, as well as five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren and one honorary great-grandchild. She is also survived by one brother, two sisters, two sisters-in-law and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Vernon in 2009; one son, Vernon Jerrid in 2003; two brothers, twelve brothers-in-law; and eleven sisters-in-law.
A memorial service will be held on Friday, May 18, 2012, 11:00 AM at the Caro United Methodist Church, 670 W. Gilford Road.. Visitation will be at the church starting at 9:00 AM and the service at 11:00 AM. Cremation has taken place and a private burial will be held at Great Lakes National Cemetery, Holly, MI; where she will be buried with her husband and son.
The family would like to thank the staff of Tendercare Cass City for all the wonderful care and friendship they have given to our mother over the past five and a half years as well as Hospice of Michigan for making her last days comfortable and dignified.
Memorial tributes may be made to the Caro United Methodist Church Good Samaritan Fund.