Henry L. Jenkins, Sr. of Ozark, Alabama

Fuqua-Bankston Funeral Home

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Posted by: Fuqua-Bankston
[email protected]
334-774-4551
Date: Feb 01 2016 9:25 AM

Henry L. Jenkins, Sr. went to the Lord on Monday evening, January 25, 2016, while at his home. He was 92.

Funeral services will be held 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, February 3, 2016 at the Ozark Civic Center.  Burial will follow in the Old City Cemetery with Fuqua-Bankston Funeral Home directing. The family will receive friends Tuesday evening from 5-8 at the funeral home.

Henry Leroy Jenkins was born the youngest of six children born to John Jenkins and Lena Valentine Jenkins on May 1, 1923, in rural Anderson County, South Carolina. His family were sharecroppers at the Garrison Farms.

On March 11, 1944, Henry enlisted in the U. S. Army. In 1951, SFC Jenkins was assigned to Camp Rucker, Alabama, where he met Mary Alice Martin Wells in 1952. Henry and Mary married on April 4, 1953, and raised four children during their time in the military.

Henry Jenkins served twenty-eight years in the U.S. Army.  His military career in both the segregated and integrated  Army  included World War  II; the Korean Conflict; Fort Campbell, Kentucky (1949); Fort Rucker, Alabama (1951); Augsburg, Germany (1953); Fort  Carson,  Colorado  (1956);  Fort Leonard  Wood, Missouri  (1957);   Nancy, France (1961); Fort Belvoir, Virginia (1964, 1967, 1970), and Viet Nam (1965, 1969).

In 1972, Master Sergeant Jenkins retired from the Army at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and settled with his family in his wife's hometown, Ozark. They joined the St. Paul AME Church, where they served on various church boards and auxiliaries.

After his retirement, Mr. Jenkins   worked   as   a   security   guard   on   Fort   Rucker’s Army Heliports from 1972 to 1988.  During that time, he was treasurer of Local 600 of the United Plant Guard Workers of America. His wife, Mary, joined the Ozark City School system.

Mr. Jenkins and his wife became involved in civic activities in 1972. They joined the Dale County chapter of the Alabama Democratic Conference in 1973.  Henry and Mary received numerous church and civic awards for their community efforts. In 1986, Henry Jenkins spearheaded the organization of Ozark's first observance of the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, held on January 20th at the Saint Paul AME Church.  The event garnered broad support and participation that crossed racial lines. Ozark's observance of the King Holiday continues to this day.

After his wife's death in 1994, Mr. Jenkins continued his involvement in civic activities by encouraging, nurturing, and mentoring younger generations to civic responsibility. He did so right up until the time of his passing.

In 1995, Mr. Jenkins and his daughter returned to chapel services on Fort Rucker, where they attended the Main Post Chapel's 1100 Service and supported chapel activities in addition to their support of events in the Ozark community.

Mr. Jenkins was preceded in death by his wife Mary and his grandson Kourtney Jenkins; also six siblings: Charles Louis Jenkins, Evans Jenkins, Ezra Levinia Jenkins Lee, Lillie Mae Jenkins Butler, Johnnie Lucile Jenkins Brown, and Laura Banks Scott.

To cherish his memory and legacy, Mr. Jenkins is survived by his sons,  Wali Sharif, Henry Jenkins, Jr., Martin Jenkins (Sheila); daughter,  Marian Jenkins; his grandchildren Aaron Ajani (Leslie), Rahman Sharif, Taliah Williams (Terry), Lindsay Irving, Henry Jenkins III (Rutendo), Anthony Jenkins (Kimberly), Keisha Miles, Keith Davis, Kevin Jenkins, Murray Jenkins (Stacy), Renai Jenkins, and Rachel Jenkins; his great-grandchildren, Niko Anderson, Terry Wayne Williams, Jr., Terrence Williams, JaiEthan Irving, Kylie Jenkins, Solomon Jenkins, Brist'l Palmer, Courtney Jenkins, and Camryn Jenkins;  the family members of his siblings; his cousins; and many very special friends throughout the Wiregrass area and the State of Alabama.

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