Elizabeth “Betty Gene” Bradford Hensick died peacefully at the VNA Hospice House in Vero Beach, Florida on May 13, 2010 at the age of 72.
She was born in St. Petersburg on April 6, 1938 to Victor and Elizabeth Bradford. She attended the University of Florida, where she was a member of the Delta Gamma sorority.
She graduated in 1958 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Education. She later obtained a Masters degree in English.
She married Norman Hensick of Vero Beach, Florida on November 15, 1958 and has resided in Vero Beach for the last 51 years.
She was a respected English teacher at Vero Beach Jr. and Sr. high schools. In 1969, when the Indian River County Schools were integrated, she was one of the first teachers from VBHS to voluntarily transfer and teach at Gifford High School, where she made many life-long friends and became a mentor to many students.
After her retirement, she continued to be involved in education, teaching English as a Second Language and Spanish, and volunteering at Sebastian River High School, Fellsmere Elementary, Dodgertown Elementary and Oslo Middle School, among others.
Betty Gene was a passionate life-long learner and learned to fly and obtained her private pilot’s license. She studied French and German and became proficient in Spanish. Over the years, she attended IRCC studying a variety of subjects including computer programming, biology and advanced mathematics.
She was an avid reader, an excellent cook, a champion tennis player, a beautiful musician and most importantly to her, a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, sister and friend.
She will be dearly missed by her family and all of her many friends. She was preceded in death by her father, Victor Bradford, her mother, Elizabeth Bradford, and her older sister Nancy.
She is survived by her husband Norman Hensick, her younger brothers Harry and Jimmy Bradford, her children Brad Hensick and Elizabeth Hensick Wood, and her grandchildren, Olivia, Isabelle and William Wood.
In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in her name to The Thomas-Powell Memorial Scholarship Foundation, PO Box 2733, Vero Beach, Florida 32961 or the VNA Hospice House, 901 37th Street, Vero Beach, Florida 32960.
A memorial service will be held in the Main Sanctuary at The Community Church of Vero Beach, at 1901 23rd Street, Vero Beach, Florida 32960 on Monday, May 17, 2010 at 11 a.m.
Condolences may be made to www. lowtherfuneralhome.com
