CLEVELAND, Miss.—Delta State University will fly its flags at half-staff Friday, Aug. 13, through sunset Sunday, August 15, in memory of employee Samuel Henderson. Henderson, 34, passed away Saturday, July 24.
Samuel Henderson
Henderson joined Delta State’s Facilities Management staff in 2013 as a groundskeeper and later as a plumber. He most recently served as a plumber assistant since Oct. 2020.
Colleagues remember Henderson as positive and upbeat. Delta State Grounds Manager Cecil Barnett said that Henderson performed his job well, but it was his great personality that really made him stand out.
“What I always loved about Sam is that he always had a movie quote to connect with what was happening. He was so uplifting—I never heard him complain. He was always so upbeat,” shared Barnett.
“He always made the other person feel better about themselves. You just don’t see many souls like that left in the world. He touched so many people on campus.”
According to Barnett, Henderson was a caretaker for his 103-year-old grandfather and loved his family dearly.
“He always talked about his grandfather and his daughter. He was so proud to be a dad,” he said. “He was just a good person.”
“Sam was the guy that kept us all laughing,” remembers Hunter Kovac, plumbing supervisor/master meter operator at Delta State. “If you were having a bad day and Sam was around, you were guaranteed to laugh. Hands down, he was one of the nicest guys you could ask for. He’s going to be missed big time.”
Carpentry Supervisor Michael Kemp agrees.
“He was a great guy; I never had any problems out of Sam. We communicated every day, and I really hate that this transpired but God has a plan that none of us can comprehend.”
“If you knew Sam, you were a better person in life. He had a soul that enlightened everything around him,” added Barnett.
Visitation will be held from 2-4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 13 at Brinson Funeral Home, located in Cleveland.
Services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 14, at St. Peter’s Rock MB Church of Cleveland.
The DSU Campus Counseling Center is providing counseling services to members of the Delta State family seeking assistance with the grieving process.
