of Batesville, AR

July 11, 1925 - September 29, 2017

Paul K. Henry, 92, of Batesville, Arkansas died Friday, September 29, 2017, in Batesville.

Born July 11, 1925, in Little Rock, Arkansas, he was the son of Paul Kruger Henry and Mary Waldrens Henry.

Paul was attending Ouachita College (now University) before volunteering for service in World War II. He served in the United States Navy until the end of the war, mostly in the Pacific and Pacific Rim Area. After the war he returned to Ouachita where he received his degree in business administration, and continued his post-graduate work at the University of Arkansas.
Soon he met and married the former Virginia Southerland of Batesville. They decided to move to Batesville and join the J.K. Southerland Company, and later merged their company to help create Banquet Foods Company. Banquet Foods became part of ConAgra Inc. in 1980.

Politics was his passion, serving two terms in the Arkansas Legislature as Representative. He was Past Vice-President of Poultry Operations Banquet Foods and ConAgra Foods, Executive Committee Member of the National Broiler Council, Past President Batesville Chamber of Commerce, Past President Arkansas Poultry Federation, Past Board Chairman of the Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission, Past Board of Trustees Ouachita Baptist University, Past Board of Directors Arkansas Rural Endowment, and King White River 2007. He was a member of Mt. Zion Lodge #10 in Batesville, Little Rock Scottish Rite Bodies, Shriners Scimitar Temple, American Legion BPOE, and First Baptist Church of Batesville.

His family best remembers him for the family vacations they took almost every summer. They traveled around the state to various district Poultry Festivals as well as trips to Dauphin Island, Alabama, Florida, California and points in between.

Survivors include three daughters, Paula Terrell and her husband, Norman, and Mary Henry, all of Batesville, and Linda Wood of Charlotte, Arkansas; five grandchildren, Melita Gump, Melanie Walsh, Lindsey Pounders, J.K. Lefler, and William Wood; nine great-grandchildren, Timothy Walsh, Morgan Walsh, Juniper Walsh, Ana Gump, Lexi Gump, Lily Pounders, Jordyn Pounders, Logan Pounders, and Hazel Lefler; three sisters, Betty Howard of Atlanta, Georgia, Mary Jean Parks of Fort Smith, Arkansas and Marjorie Tipton of Little Rock; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Virginia Southerland Henry; and sisters, Maxine Johnson and Eleanor Baird.

We especially want to recognize the staff, nurses and aides at Eagle Mountain Assisted Living for creating such an atmosphere of family and fun for all their residents.
Pallbearers will be Chris Anderson, Steve Felts, Scott Stalker, Mickey Powell, J.K. Lefler, and Timothy Walsh.

Honorary pallbearers are Bobby Kent, Charles Arnold, Covie Moore, Gene Carter, and members of area Masonic Lodges.

Graveside services with masonic rites will be at 2:00 p.m., Thursday, October 5, 2017, at Oaklawn Cemetery in Batesville under the direction of Roller-Crouch Funeral Home.

Visitation is from 5:00-7:00 p.m., Wednesday, October 4, 2017, at the funeral home.

Memorials may be made to Old Independence Regional Museum, 380 S. 9th Street, Batesville, AR 72501 and Independence County Humane Society, PO Box 3477, Batesville, AR 72503

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