Judge – The Osborne County Hall of Fame

With the year 2021 being the 150th anniversary of the formal organization of Osborne County, Kansas, the Osborne County Hall of Fame is celebrating this milestone achievement by inducting not one but two sets of inductees in this very special year, one in the spring and one in the winter.

And so on this date, January 6, 2022, the Osborne County Hall of Fame is pleased to present for the first time anywhere the fourth inductee of the OCHF Winter Class of 2021.

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Wife, mother, businesswoman, judge, community leader –all in one impressive package. We are truly pleased to present Shirley Henderson as the newest inductee into the Osborne County Hall of Fame.

Story by Vicki (Henderson) McRae, daughter

Shirley Irene (Spaulding) Henderson was born on September 22, 1917, in Osborne, Kansas. Her parents were Walter G. Spaulding and Edith Mary (Pulver) Spaulding. Shirley was born at 208 North Elm, the home of F. H. and Josie Pulver, her mother’s parents. The little house was across the street from the Osborne Catholic Church; the house was later torn down, and is now the church’s parking lot. Shirley was the second of Walter and Edith’s two children; her older brother, Walter Dale, was born on December 6, 1915; he died in a car accident on December, 23, 1938.

Shirley grew up and lived in Osborne her entire life, with three short exceptions:

(1) The family moved to St. Joseph, Missouri, for a short time; likely during the 1920s. Walter was a plasterer, so the move was likely related to a job there. I don’t know the dates or the specific reason, but they moved back to Osborne as soon as that job was finished.

(2) Around 1931, the family moved to Beloit, Kansas. I don’t know exactly when or the reason for the move, but again, it was likely related to her father’s job. They were in Beloit for about four or five years; her older brother, Dale, graduated from Beloit High School in 1933; Shirley graduated from Beloit High School in 1935.

(3) Following her graduation, the family moved back to Osborne, but Shirley went on to Denver, Colorado, to attend the Bonnie Beauty School and get her beautician’s license. After completing school in Denver, she moved back to Osborne. For a time, she worked in the Grayce Beauty Shop. Then in November of 1941, she and Vina Chandler took over the Deluxe Beauty Shop and they continued working together many years.

*Shirley at beauty school. Image taken circa 1937.*

After her marriage to Arthur (Art) M. Henderson on April 17, 1942, she retired from the beauty shop and became a homemaker. However, she kept her beautician license up to date and continued to help out with the shop’s bookkeeping and filling in occasionally as needed. She and Vina Chandler remained close friends and traded haircuts and permanents for over thirty years. Shirley and Art had two children: (1) Michael Ray, born 1945, died at birth; and (2) Vicki Lee, born 1948, still survives.

After Art died in 1972, Shirley went back to work. Although her beautician’s license was current, she was concerned about having to stand on her feet all day, so she went to work as secretary in the Osborne County Probate Judge’s office. When County Probate Judge Ethel McCammon retired in December 1974, Shirley was appointed to fill the position for the remaining term. At the next election, she was duly elected; she filled the County Probate Judge position until the State reorganized the judicial system in 1987 and discontinued the position. At that time, after attending “Judge’s School” and passing the modified bar exam, she became District Magistrate Judge. She held the office of County/District Magistrate Judge for a total of 13 years, retiring in 1987 just before her 70th birthday.

After retirement Shirley continued an active life with friends, enjoyed pursuing her art and craft hobbies, and taking occasional trips to Texas to visit her daughter. Shirley passed away at Osborne on Friday, October 27, 2000, at age 83, and was laid to rest beside her husband in the Osborne Cemetery.

ART AND CRAFTS

Throughout her life, Shirley had a talent and interest in all things art and crafts. Even as a grade school student, she was an excellent artist, painting many fine pictures. She enjoyed taking art classes when available nearby, and she liked trying many different technics. Her interests broadened to include sewing, knitting, crochet, and many other crafts. For several years she was a Brownie Scout and Girl Scout leader, and she taught knitting and crochet to groups of Girl Scouts and 4-H girls. She also gave programs and provided craft projects for the Brownie Scouts, Girl Scouts, and 4-H groups, Vacation Bible School, and various ladies’ organizations. For many years she helped with the art booth at the Osborne County Fair.

WOODWORKING

Around 1980, Shirley became interested in woodcrafts, doing woodcarving, wood burning, and making assorted wood pictures and figures. She often painted or stained her wood crafts to accent the designs. She had a craft booth at several of the nearby craft shows for many years; usually a couple friends would go along to help out. Shirley was pleased that people enjoyed her crafts and that her works were in many states across the USA and several foreign countries.

GOLF

Art and Shirley were members of the Osborne Golf Club for many years during the 1950s and 60s. Shirley often played golf with friends and the ladies golf group; she won several trophies at ladies’ tournaments around the area.