Dr. Harold Paulk "Hal" Henderson

Dr. Harold Paulk "Hal" Henderson, Sr., (83) of Tifton died on August 18th, 2025 at Legacy Village of Tifton. Funeral services will be held at First Methodist Church in Tifton on August 30th at 11am. The Rev. Chip Grantham will officiate. The family will receive friends at 10 am until the service. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the First Methodist Church Searchers Sunday School Class. He married Teena Ann Harris on April 13, 1974. Other survivors are a son and daughter-in-law Lieutenant Colonel (Ret.) Harold Paulk "Hank" Henderson, Jr. and Carrie of Alexandria, VA, a daughter and son-in-law Mara Dare and Cal Day of Tifton, two grandsons Harold Paulk " Hain" Henderson, III, and James Benefield " Ben" Henderson and two granddaughters Grayson Anne and Anna Catherine Day. Dr. Henderson was the son of Harold Myers and Virginia Dare Paulk Henderson of Willachoochee, both deceased. Dr. Henderson was born in Albany, Georgia in 1942 and grew up in Willacoochee. After graduating from Atkinson County High School, he attended ABAC, and earned bachelors and masters degrees in history from Georgia Southern University. He received a doctorate in political science from the University of Southern Mississippi. Dr. Henderson retired as a professor of political science at ABAC in 2000. He was the recipient of the ABAC Alumni Association's Outstanding Educator Award in 1996, and received the college's Carlton Award for Faculty Excellence in 1982. The college's chapter of Phi Theta Kappa presented its Teaching Excellence Award to him in 1991. Dr. Henderson had been a member of The First United Methodist Church in Tifton since 1970. His service to the church included serving as a Sunday School teacher, chairman of the Administrative Board, chairman of the Staff-Parish Relations Committee, chairman of the Council on Ministries, Activities Center volunteer, member of the Adult Sunday School Building Committee, and member of the Activities Center Building Committee. He was a past president of the Searchers Sunday School class. He had been a member of the Tifton Kiwanis Club since 1972. Kiwanis International recognized him as a Distinguished President, as a George Hixson Fellow, and as A Legion of Honor Award recipient. He was recognized as the Kiwanian of the Year in 2002 by his club and was twice recognized as Distinguished Lieutenant Governor of Division 13 of the Georgia Kiwanis District. While serving as lieutenant governor, the Georgia District of Kiwanis recognized his division as the Outstanding Division in 2007-08 and the District Governor awarded him an Outstanding Leader Award. Other community activities included serving on the Tift County Board of Education for ten years and serving as president of the board for five years. During his tenure on the board, improvements in the school system included building a new high school, upgrading technology, building a performing arts center, renovating Eighth Street Middle School and Northeast Campus of TCHS, adding gymnasiums at J.T. Reddick, Charles Spencer, and Omega schools as well as adding classrooms at Omega and Charles Spencer. He also served as a member of the board of directors of the Georgia School Boards Association for ten years. He received the National School Boards Association Distinguished Service Award. Dr. Henderson served as president of the board of trustees of the Tifton-Tift County Library and during his tenure the library was renovated. Other community activities included serving as president of the local United Way, president of three Parent Teacher Organizations, Meals on Wheels volunteer and a Soup Kitchen volunteer. He served as chairman of the committee creating the Tifton-Tift County Public Library Foundation in 2005 and served as the Foundation's president since then. Dr. Henderson was a veteran, serving in the Army during the Vietnam Conflict. In addition, Dr. Henderson co-edited Georgia Governors in an Age of Change: From Ellis Arnall to George Busbee and wrote biographies of former governors Ellis Arnall and Ernest Vandiver, all published by the University of Georgia Press. He gave his oral interviews of over 50 politicians done for his research for his publications to the Richard B. Russell Library. The interviews have been transcribed and are in his oral history collection at the University of Georgia. He contributed several articles on Georgia politicians to the Georgia Encyclopedia. Dr. Henderson and his wife enjoyed ballroom dancing. They enjoyed traveling and have visited all the states and many foreign countries including Ireland, Britain, Austria, and Hungary. In lieu of flowers the family requests that you make a donation to the charity of your choice. The family would like to thank the staff at Legacy Village of Tifton, Traditions Hospice of Tifton and Abide Home Care. Reflection Cremation and Funeral Service is in charge of funeral arrangements.