Ellie "Duff" Henderson

life story

A Friend To All, Mom, Grandmother And Dog Lover

It is with a sad heart that we share the passing of Ellie "Duff" (Elinor) Henderson. A kind and loving person, who relished being a mom, grandmother, volunteer and friend. She will be missed. Please feel free to share a photo or memory below in the guest book.

About Ellie

Ellie (Elinor Ahroon Goldbecker) Henderson passed away peacefully on Friday, March 5, 2021, at the age of 82, with her family by her side. She was the loving mother to Fred (Kyle) and Ahroon (Greg). Duff, as she was known to her grandchildren, was the proud grandmother of three grandchildren: Bradley, Virginia and Katelyn.

Ellie was born on June 21, 1938, in New Haven, Connecticut. She grew up in Bridgeport Connecticut with her parents Paul and Wilma and her younger brother Alan. Her passion was sailing and she spent many happy summers at the Black Rock Yacht Club sailing, swimming, playing tennis and spending time with friends. She attended Black Rock Grammar School from kindergarten through 8th grade and then attended Prospect Hill in New Haven which was an all girls school.

Ellie left Connecticut to attend Hollins College in Roanoke, Virginia where she graduated in 1960 with a degree in Political Science and History. She had many friends and was known to play a few practical jokes during her time at Hollins College. During her summers, she worked as a Telephone Operator for Southern New England Telephone Company in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

After graduating from Hollins, she moved to Boston, Massachusetts living on Beacon Hill and working as an Insurance Agent at Liberty Mutual Insurance Company. While living in Boston, she met and married Frederick B. Henderson III in early 1962. Her son, Fred, was born in Boston. They moved to Missouri where Ellie worked as a substitute teacher and her daughter Ahroon was born. The family moved to Lafayette, California and then spent almost 2 years in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Finally, they returned to live in Orinda, California.

Ellie was a passionate volunteer and spent many hours working in a variety of roles for several organizations including the American School in Buenos Aires, Junior Center Guild of Oakland, Orinda Rally Around The Park, Junior League of Oakland, Junior Center of Arts and Sciences in Oakland, Hill Branch of Children’s Hospital and the Oakland Power Squadron. One of her favorite volunteer activities was through the Environmental Education Program of the Orinda School district teaching elementary kids in the “Pioneer Days” and “Indian Days” where she earned the Indian name Running Porcupine.

After her divorce in 1986, Ellie moved to Alameda and began working as an Office Manager for the Pediatric Medical Group in Berkeley, California.

Ellie loved dogs; her favorite breed was the Bearded Collie. She had several Bearded Collies named McGruff, Argyle, Sterling and Huntley. She enjoyed training her dogs, visiting dog shows and being an active member of the Bearded Collie Club.

Ellie was an avid collector and curated many collections including unique artifacts from the Civil War, antique keys, antique eyeglasses, ice cream scoops, rulers, scales, pill boxes, antique ink wells and walking canes.

Ellie spent time traveling with her children and grandchildren including trips to Disneyland, England, Scotland, Hawaii, Arizona, and Alaska.

Ellie moved to Rockville Terrace in Fairfield, California in 2018, where she enjoyed spending time with friends, playing Bingo and other activities.

At the age of 81, Ellie decided to start a new adventure and moved to Spring Park, Minnesota in a retirement community on Lake Minnetonka. She loved living on the water and enjoyed the seasons. She especially enjoyed living near her daughter Ahroon, Greg and granddaughter Katelyn.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Elinor Henderson can be made to the following organizations: The Bearded Collie Club of America Charitable Trust (http://www.bccacharitabletrust.org/) or Lake Minnetonka Shores Presbyterian Homes (c/o Issac Rue, Presbyterian Homes 4515 Shoreline Drive Spring Park, MN 55384). This is where she lived for the last year. She absolutely loved living on Lake Minnetonka.

We are all very saddened by her passing and will miss her very much. We encourage you to browse through the images and stories below, and you are welcome to share your photos and stories in the Guest Book.

Ellie's Family

Ellie, Ahroon (daughter), Greg, Fred (son), Kyle, Virginia & Bradley. Katelyn was not born yet.

1976 4th of July Parade - Calistoga

The Hendersons entered a Happy Birthday Float into the Calistoga 1976 4th Of July Parade. A large (faux) birthday cake sat in the center of the float. We sang songs about America and Happy Birthday America. We won First Place.