Millicent "Millie" (Ruggles) Henson, age 83, of Warrensburg, MO, passed away at home on Thursday, December 28, 2023, surrounded by loved ones and holding the hand of her loving husband, Ronald Henson.

Millie was born on November 2, 1940, the daughter of George Austin and Mina Elizabeth (Bannon) Ruggles in Three Rivers, Michigan. In 1947, her family moved from Michigan to Albuquerque, New Mexico, due to her father's declining health. Millie graduated from Albuquerque High School in 1959. During her freshman year of high school, she met the love of her life, "Ronnie" Henson. They enjoyed square dancing and jitterbugging.

On January 23, 1960, Millie and Ron were married between semesters of their first year of college. Their marriage spanned just three and a half weeks shy of 64 wonderful years and 3 children. They truly were a couple who enjoyed spending time and doing things together.

Millie always had a love for teaching. She taught at the New Mexico School for the Blind and Visually Impaired for a short time after her husband was transferred with the JC Penney Company to Alamogordo, NM from Albuquerque, NM in 1965.

In 1971, Ron was transferred to Artesia, NM as JC Penney's store manager. Millie continued working on getting her teaching degree, raising their children, and substitute teaching while living in Artesia.

1973 brought another JCP transfer for their family. This time to Roswell, NM. While in Roswell, Millie completed her Bachelor of Arts in Education and started teaching at Sunset Elementary School as a 4th-grade teacher, kickstarting a 23-year teaching career.

One last transfer landed Millie, Ron, and their youngest daughter, Ronda, in Warrensburg, Missouri in 1986. Mille taught 6th grade Social Studies at Warrensburg Middle School until she retired in May 2003. Millie loved her teaching assignments, students, and colleagues and still talked about things she and her students would make and do when she was teaching.

Millie enjoyed baking, reading, traveling, and spending time with her family and good friends. She was a Girl Scout leader for many years and participated in many Girl Scout events with her daughters. She was a lifetime member of the Missouri State Teachers Association.

Millie was preceded in death by her parents George and Mina Ruggles and her sister Marilyn (Ruggles) Perkins. She is survived by her loving husband, Vernon Ronald Henson; two daughters Lee Henson Clark (Corey Butts) of Warrensburg, MO; Ronda Henson-Simm (Danny) of Warrensburg, MO; and son Alden Henson (Heather) of Atlanta, GA; brothers Joseph Ruggles (Cindy Gregory) and George "Sandy" Ruggles of Albuquerque, NM; Grandchildren Casey Clark, Erika (Owen) Iseminger, Kegan Clark, Phillip (Jessica) Verner, Ryan Henson, Molly Thompson, and Victoria Henson; Great-grandchildren Zabby, Johnathan, Raylee, Rory, Lucas, and Lillian, niece Beth Parsell, several nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews; and many wonderful friends.

Family will now receive friends from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm Saturday, February 3, 2024 followed by a Memorial Service at noon, at The Evangelical Free Church, 480 SE DD Hwy, Warrensburg, Missouri.