Frances Henkle

1924 - 2019

Frances Louise Leavister Henkle CHARLOTTE - Frances Louise Leavister Henkle, age 95, beloved matriarch, passed gracefully December 8, 2019, surrounded by love and family. Born August 18, 1924 in Raleigh, the youngest child of Bertha Croom of Laurel Hill, NC and Clarence Dorsey Leavister of Oxford, NC, she was preceded in death by sister Catherine E. Pearce, brothers Charles, Harry, and William Leavister, and husband David Kincaid Henkle. She is survived by daughters Katherine Bigger (Donald), Nancye Henkle-McPeek (Robert), and Holly Stewart (William); dear niece Catherine Burke; 7 grandchildren [(David (Maria), Richard, Jeremy aka Benjamin, Patrick, and Joshua (Sara) Armstrong; Meagan (Oliver) Browett, Simone (Cris) Riquelme)]; and 8 great-grandchildren (Sterling and Hendrick Browett; Sophia, Savannah, Jeremy Jr., Mack, Riley, and Kaley Armstrong). Born to humble beginnings, Frances relished life and time with those she so loved. She lost her mother at age four, came of age during the Great Depression and, in 1936, survived the second deadliest tornado in NC's history. She attended secretarial school after graduating from Greensboro HS (1941) and became a Civil Service stenographer in Washington, DC, where she lived with her older brother and his wife. Upon returning to Raleigh, she met the love of her life, David Henkle, from Lucia, NC, who was attending NCSU on the GI Bill after serving as a tail gunner over Germany in World War 2. Frances and David married December 21, 1946. David earned a civil engineering degree from NC State (1949) and was hired by J. A. Jones Construction in Charlotte, where he rose to VP of International Division and Estimation. David's work took his family to San Juan, PR and San Francisco, CA, eventually back to Charlotte. Frances became an avid traveler, often joining David on international trips. She especially enjoyed flying Singapore Airlines and loved all things about Paris, aspiring to practice her French. An engaged and devoted mother, Frances encouraged the diverse interests of her children and modeled caring for others in the community. She loved animals, caring for a succession of pets, and enjoyed cultivating Lenten Roses. She volunteered as a fitness assessor at her daughters' Shamrock Elementary School and joined the Altar Guild at St. Martin's Episcopal Church. Easter became more special, when Frances, an exacting seamstress with a lifelong interest in fashion, used her treadle sewing machine to clothe her 3 daughters in matching dresses. Gladys Wallace helped her shepherd her daughters and keep house, earning the family's enduring love. Frances also earned her real estate license and worked in the Charlotte market. In retirement, Frances became an increasingly savvy bridge player, practiced as a Lady Golfer at Carmel Country Club, and continued her Altar Guild work, first at St. John's and later at the chapel at Charlotte's Southminster, where she moved at age 84. There, she loved to walk her cherished dog "Daisy Duke," visit with friends over dinner, or sit in her patio garden and chat with passersby. In 2017, after moving to Gainesville, FL, to be closer to family, she joined Holy Trinity Episcopal Church. Family and faith brought her great comfort in her final years, as did caregiver Sharon Kramme. A Memorial Service will be held at Southminster Chapel, 8919 Park Rd, Charlotte, on Friday, January 31, at 1:00 pm (reception following), with Reverend Peter Floyd officiating. Her ashes will be interred with husband David's at St. John's Episcopal Church Columbarium Wall. Donations in her memory may be made to Southminster Community Fund (8919 Park Rd., Charlotte, NC 28210) or Community Cat Project (Humane Society) (2700 Toomey Ave, Charlotte, NC 28203).