Bobbie Sue Henry, 74, a longtime Rockbridge County teacher and former member of the Rockbridge County School Board, died Monday, April 30, 2007 at the Carilion Stonewall Jackson Hospital.
Henry taught in the county schools for more than 30 years, retiring in 1990. Among the subjects she taught at Natural Bidge and Rockbridge High schools were social studies, history and English. She represented the South River District on the school board from 1994 to 1996.
She was actively involved in the Virginia Council for Social Studies and the Virginia Georgraphical Society. She helped start a local schools social studies contest. She was a past president of the Rockbridge Retired Teachers Association, and was a member of the Natural Bridge chapters of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Timber Ridge Presbyterian Church. She had a life-long passion for history and geneaology.
She was born April 21, 1933 in Wayne County, Tennessee, a daughter of the late Clarence Calvin Barnette and Frankie Nowlin Barnett. She and her family moved to Rockbridge County in 1946, and she graduated from Goshen High School in 1951. She attended Madison College, now James Madison University, from which she graduated in 1955.
She taught on year in Price William County before returning to Rockbridge County and marrying James Thomas Henry, a county native and farmer. She received a master's degree from the University of Virginia in 1971. After completing library science courses at JMU and Longwood College, she was certified as a librarian/media specialist in 1989. She was instrumental in computerizing circulation in many of the county school libraries.
In addition to her husband, she is survived by two daughters: Anne Henry and Beth Swink, both of Buena Vista; one sister, Anna Ruth Berry of Mint Springs; and four grandchildren.
The funeral will be conducted Thursday, May 3 at 2 p.m. at the Harrison Funeral Home Chapel by the Rev. G. Carl Moore. Burial will follow in the Timber Ridge ARP Cemetery. The family will receive friends Wednesay, May 2 from 7 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to the Timber Ridge Presbyterian Church, 73 Sam Houston Way, Lexington, VA. 24450.
