Joseph Enoch Henderson, Sr.

Joseph Enoch Henderson, Sr., affectionately known as "Joe Joe", "Cuphead", "Joe" and "Miracle Man", was born on December 6, 1941, in Washington D.C. to the late Patterson Henderson, Sr. and the late Viola-Smith Henderson.

Joseph met his childhood sweetheart, Shirley Cooper-Henderson 70 years ago. They later dated and married on October 1, 1966. Joe and Shirley spent many years together listening to their favorite doo-wop song, "One Summer Night", by the Danderleers and "Crazy Baby" by the Spaniels. From their union five children were born, Sonora, Joseph, Daniel, Sylvia and Felicia. Their son, Joseph Enoch Henderson, Jr. preceded him in death in 2022.

In 1979, Joseph was baptized at the Free Gospel Church of God in Christ in Coral Hills, Maryland by Bishop Ralph Green.

Joseph "Joe" attended Stevens Elementary School, Francis Junior High School and Dunbar Senior High School in the District of Columbia. While still in elementary school, Joe started working as a newspaper deliverer in his neighborhood in Georgetown. Joe was a man of many trades and throughout his life, he held many jobs. He was a porter worker at the Madison Hotel in Washington D.C. He also worked as a construction worker and brick layer. In the 1970's Joe began working in the mailroom at the American Federation of State County Municipal Employees.During his tenure with AFME, he was promoted from the mail room to building engineer. After leaving, he worked for Safeway for several years before retiring.

As a young man, Joe was a member of the Georgetown Junior Romans, a club of neighborhood buddies in Washington D.C where he grew up. He also started a singing group with his neighborhood buddies called the All-Stars. Joe was loved by everyone he met and always the life of the party at family gatherings. His impression of James Brown was always a favorite at family events where everyone would eagerly clap and yell, "do the James Brown, Joe." Sometimes he would imitate Elvis Presley as part of his routine. But the song he most loved to perform was a song he wrote himself entitled, Beans. This song, when performed, would get everyone in the room clapping, dancing and singing along. Joe loved to make people laugh and his ability to entertain and make others laugh was one of his most cherished qualities.

Joseph was preceded in death by his son, Joseph Enoch Henderson, Jr.; siblings, Patterson Henderson, Jr., William "Popeye" Henderson, Ernest "Sam" Henderson, Lucy Dudley, Barbara Henderson and brother-in-law, William Dickerson.

He leaves many loved ones to cherish his memory. The love of his life and devoted wife of 59 years, Shirley May Henderson; his children, Sonora Hall (Kevin), Daniel Henderson(Cheryl), Sylvia Barr(Oral), Felicia Dickerson (the late Troy Dickerson); daughter-in-law, Irene,(wife of the late Joseph Henderson, Jr.); loving sister, Vivian Mickey" Jackson (Herbert), and cherished sister-in-law, Ruth "Cookie" Dickerson. He also will be missed by a host of loving grandchildren, great and great-great-grandchildren as well as many nieces, nephews and many other close family and friends.