Obituary from Holman Funeral Home of Ozark, Alabama
Mrs. Evelyn Hartzog Henley, a resident of Troy, died at her daughter’s house in Ozark Friday, August 21, 2026. She was 90 years old.
Funeral services for Mrs. Henley will be 2:00 P. M. Wednesday, August 26, 2026, in the Chapel of Holman Funeral Home in Ozark with Reverend Jason Waddell and Reverend Theral Shirah officiating. Interment will follow in Elam Baptist Church Cemetery, Holman Funeral Home of Ozark directing. The family will receive friends at the funeral home in Ozark Wednesday from 1:00 P.M. until service time. Serving as pallbearers will be Delton Hartzog, Danny Hartzog, Joe Hartzog, Lynn Henley, Van Henley, Gary Martin, Will Parsons and Richard Parsons. Honorary pallbearers will be Asher Parsons, Taylor Johnson, Greg Ricks, Ladies Three Sunday School Class and Ladies Sewing Group Southside Baptist Church in Troy, Alabama.
Mrs. Henley was born July 22, 1936 in Barbour County, Alabama to the late William Dewell Hartzog and Julia Velma Ketcham Hartzog. Evelyn graduated from Barbour County High School in 1952 as co-valedictorian and from Troy State Teachers College in 1956. Between the years of 1956 and 1963, she held a variety of jobs, including elementary school teacher, secretary to various organizations in Alabama, Florida, and a short stint at the Pentagon in 1963. She married Osbern Henley, her late husband of 54 years in 1964. They made their permanent home in Troy and were active members of Southside Baptist Church. She had a lifelong love for missions that she promoted and supported until her death. Evelyn was a woman of vast knowledge, creativity and talents, too numerous to mention. She was a stay at home mom until Melissa graduated from high school in 1983. In 1983 she began working for the Alabama Baptist Children’s Home where she was employed until her retirement. She cared for both of her parents in her home for several years, and she was the best grandmother, taxi service and cheerleader for her grandchildren. Her great grandchildren brought smiles to her face. The last five years of her life she spent battling vascular dementia. Vascular dementia stole most of the things that brought her enjoyment. The Respite program at Dothan First United Methodist kept glimpses of the real Evelyn alive and even parts of her that we didn’t know (who knew she would be such a competitive balloon volleyball player?).
Evelyn is survived by her daughter, Melissa Henley Parsons (Robert); grandchildren, Julia Johnson (Taylor), Sara-Ashley Parsons, William Parsons (Alexis); great grandchildren, Hali, Lucia and Eliza Johnson and Asher Parsons; sisters-in-law, Virginia Henley and Ovie Martin; nieces and nephews, Delton Hartzog (Patricia), Danny Hartzog (Emily), Joe Hartzog (Millie), Pam Shirah (Theral), Vicky Oakley (Danny), Gary Martin (Jan), Lynn Henley (Susan), Van Henley (Suzeanne), and Debra Rhodus (John). Numerous great nieces and great nephews also survive.
Melissa and Robert would like to thank Jaqueline Atkins “Jackie” for being a loyal and loving caregiver for the past four years and DaySpring Hospice specifically nurse Stephanie and Chaplain Dalton for the past five months of loving and compassionate end of life care.
Flowers will be accepted or memorials may be made in her memory to Southside Baptist Church Sewing Ministry, 522 South Brundidge Street, Troy, Alabama 36079; to Respite Care Ministry of Dothan First United Methodist Church, 1380 West Main Street, Dothan, Alabama 36301; or to Dale County Pregnancy Center, P. O. Box 41, Ozark, Alabama 36361.
Condolences may be expressed at www.HolmanFuneralHome.com
