Obituary of Taylor Sterling Henderson

Taylor Sterling Henderson passed away peacefully Sunday, July 8, 2018 at the age of 98.

His regrets were few as he announced to his family in the days leading up to his passing, that he had “done all of the things, and had all of the women a man could want in a lifetime”

He was born March 18, 1920, in Easton, NY, he was the son of the late George and Bertha (Wells) Henderson.

He spent his life working tirelessly on the land that was passed down to him from two generations.  Taylor grew up in a world we would not know; one without electricity and plumbing, but somehow was smooth enough to convince his former wife Elsie Henderson to leave these luxuries to begin a regressive life together on the Henderson Farm.  He was a tough worker and a driven man who, alongside Elsie, built a beautiful and successful dairy farm.  Taylor had massive hands of steel from the miles of field drainage tile he dug and laid by hand, and the cows he milked by hand in his younger years.  Before they incorporated tractors, Taylor worked with a team of horses to till and harvest the land.  Even after “retirement” in his late 70’s, Taylor still milked the cows both ends of the day and drove tractor.  He also mowed all the hay on the farm into his early 90s and would never fail to come on the two-way radio and say, “this is the biggest shit I’ve ever seen, so thick, no kiddin!”.  In his later years, as he took drives with his family in the farm truck or sat under one of the farm’s maple trees, he would proudly talk about the barns he built and fields he worked throughout his lifetime. 

Taylor was an outstanding singer and proclaimed he sang on WGY’s live radio with his sisters when he was a teenager.  Up until his final year, one could sneak up on him dancing the jitterbug or singing his favorite songs (I’m an Old Cow Hand, I Can’t Give You Anything but Love, or The Way You Look Tonight). Anyone who knew Taylor knew that the women in his life were as plentiful as his arsenal of dirty one-liners.  He liked to proudly announce at the age of 98 that “they were probably what kept me alive all these years” and that he was “fit as a fiddle” and “ready for love”.  What really kept him alive was the lifetime of hard work and the exercise bike that he used multiple times a day right to the end, “got to keep movin’ if I want to keep livin”. 

Well Gramp, you fell short of your goal of being on television for the Smucker’s 100-year-old birthday, but you will always be alive in our hearts.  Thank you for being a great grandfather, we love you.

In addition to his parents Taylor was predeceased by his former wife Elsie Henderson; son Robert Henderson; sisters Natale and Frances.

Taylor leaves his sons, Taylor “Squirt” Henderson and his wife Susan, and Alan “Mister” Henderson and his wife Joni, his daughter-in-law, Dael Henderson; loving grandchildren Nick (Abby), Logan (Caitlin), Britney and Marcus, Ali and Chelsie Henderson (Wayne),Brady Moy and Rob and Simmons; great-grandchildren: Spencer Conlin, Erin Tiderencel and Dillon Henderson, Jobe Jennings, and Natalie and Noah Henderson.

Graveside services will be held at 11am Wednesday, July 11, 2018 at the Greenwich Cemetery, County Rte. 52, Greenwich, NY, 12834.

There will be no prior calling hours.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Easton-Greenwich Rescue Squad, 441 State Rte. 29, Greenwich, NY, 12834 or the Easton Volunteer Fire Company, 11800 Rte. 40, Schaghticoke, NY, 12154.

Online condolences and messages to the family may be made at www.flynnbrosinc.com