Services for Lela Ann Jennings, 72, Lawrence, will be 11am Friday, at Calvary Church of God in Christ.
Ms. Jennings died September 10, 2021, at her home.
Lela Ann Terry was born to the parents of Ellsworth Albert Terry Sr. and Josie Mae Henson Terry on November 15, 1948. She made a dramatic entrance into the world. On a Church Night, her mother Josie Mae was praising the LORD, shouting and dancing and Lela must have felt the spirit and decided to join the Holy Ghost fire.
It turned into being a difficult birth. While Josie Mae was recuperating at the hospital, Lela went from the hospital to living with her maternal grandparents: Reverend Joseph Willis Henson (who was affectionately called Papa) and Mother Lela (namesake) Pearl Davis Henson. Lela called her Grandmother Bamunny. She loved her grandparents. She was their puddin’ and pie. Through the years she occasionally lived with her parents, but after the death of Josie Mae, Lela would live with her grandparents.
In 1964, her Grandmother passed away and Lela was sent to Kansas City to live with her uncle and aunt, (Reverend Arie Henry Henson Sr. and Mayla Madden Henson). She finished her schooling and found work at the Kansas City Credit Bureau in Kansas City Missouri. On November 26, 1966, she married Robert Raphael Jennings. From the Union emerged three children: Anthony Eugene Jennings, La Randa Yvonne Jennings, and Todd Jameson Jennings. Todd passed away at eighteen months.
When she married, she moved to Arkansas City, Kansas where she worked as a phlebotomist for a doctor. She also worked for the Winfield State Hospital, Spring Machines, and Rubbermaid. As her children got older, she dedicated herself to raising them in the fear and admonition of the LORD.
Her roots revolved around the church. Lela’s grandparents were faithful to the labor of the LORD. And they raised her up that way. At 842 New Jersey Lela was trained to do every position in the church. Some days she was the janitor. Any given Sunday she could be called to be an usher, a soloist, or bring the inspirational message.
In Arkansas City she attended St. James Church of God in Christ where she worked diligently in various areas of the Church. She worked in Sunday School, Sunshine Band, Purity Class, YPWW. Mother Lovie Watson saw greatness in Lela and so she assigned her to work with the youth in every aspect of the church. It was her delight to teach people about the goodness of God from the babies to the older generations. She was Bible Band leader and teacher. She believed in the scripture of 2 Timothy 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
After her forty-one year marriage ended, Lela moved back to Lawrence to be with her brother Ellsworth Albert Terry, Jr. She attended Calvary Church of God in Christ 646 Alabama (formerly 842 New Jersey). She was faithful until her health started growing worse.
Survivors include A son Anthony Eugene Jennings (52), Daughter, La Randa Y. Jennings (50), both of Lawrence, Kansas. She has many children that she helped raise and nurture along the way.
Lela Ann was number nine in the 12 Tribes of JW Henson and Lela Pearl. Survivors are (3)Noble Edward Henson, (5)Marilyn Pearl Griffin, (6)Phyllis Jean Derritt, (7)Andrea Lois Baker, (10)Judy Yvonne Henson, (11)Arieta Joyce Henson.
Those who preceded her in death were her mother Josie Mae Henson Terry, her maternal grandparents Mother Lela Pearl Davis Henson and Reverend JW Henson, her paternal grandmother, Anna Terry, her father Ellsworth Albert Terry Sr., one son Todd Jameson Jennings, her guardians Mayla Madden Henson, and Dr Arie H. Henson Sr., her only brother (8), Ellsworth Albert Terry Jr. Of the twelve tribes who preceded her: (1)Arie H. Henson Jr., (2) Franklin Floyd Henson, (4) Willis Wayne Henson, (12) Theodore Arnold Henson
Many times when Lela was asked how she was doing. Her response was always I am living the life I sing about in my song. The next question would be what is your song? And her reply would be “I have been redeemed by the blood of the LAMB.” And truly from birth to the day of her homegoing that was her victorious testimony.
