Sarah Jane Henry

Sarah Jane (Eigenbrod) Henry, age 97, passed away peacefully on Saturday, January 10, 2026, in Centralia, Missouri. There is no doubt our mom will be greeted at the pearly gates by our dad, brother, Lonnie, and God, with a heartfelt, "Well done my good and faithful servant."

Sarah was born December 16th, 1928, in Elgin, Illinois, to Valentine and Verna (Parsons) Eigenbrod. Two years later the family moved to San Jose, IL. She grew up in a loving home where her father was often sick with asthma. She had three older sisters and two brothers (Robert died as an infant). Growing up she had an imaginary friend, "Girlington." Only one son, Doug, took after her with his invisible friend, "Cowboy." Sarah graduated from High School in 1946. She was a gifted student and loved creative writing, poems, and short stories. Three of her kids inherited her creativeness: Kent and Valerie inherited her love for writing and designing, and Lonnie was a very talented artist.

Two weeks after graduation, Sarah met the forever love of her life—Harold "Gene" Henry. He was a basketball player from a nearby town (Armington, IL) and she was a cheerleader in San Jose. She had already committed to taking a bookkeeping job for the State of Illinois in Springfield, Illinois, (state capitol) so off she went and the young couple maintained a long-distance courtship for four years. Sarah had moved home to take care of her mother six months before the upcoming wedding when her dad passed away Nov. 1949. The enamored young couple married on June 4th, 1950, at the Armington Christian Church. The couple would live with Sarah's mother to support and care for her for the next seven years.

Following God’s teachings, she left her birth family in Illinois to follow Gene with their first 3 children, Valerie, Doug and Scott, to a farm in Middle Grove, Missouri, in 1957. You see, Gene had always dreamed of being a farmer and she was committed to supporting his dream. There, she would have 4 more boys and raise them with strong Christian values and love for each other and their small country community. In 1964, the family moved to Moberly and Gene had to abandon his "Green Acres" dream to be able to feed and clothe his much-loved family of nine. He went into the home remodeling and building business and Sarah went to work at Dupont as a cost accountant for 25 years till they closed in 1990. Their son, Scott, inherited Gene’s talent for detail and perfection in a career in construction. Those years were filled with Union Ave Christian church, family camping trips, racing the miniature horses, weddings and grandkids being born, trials and tribulations, but above all a strong, loving family unit that most people can only dream of. By the 1980's Gene and Sarah were racing standard bred harness horses and traveling from Collinsville, IL, to The Red Mile in Lexington, KY, and the thrill of the Meadowlands in New Jersey. Their most exciting race ever was at Sportsman’s racetrack in Chicago with their "boy wonder.” Thunder Mohawk won enough to pay off the mortgage on the farm. Sarah was so proud of what they had built together. Sar-Gen Stables had made the National horseracing stage! Her sons Chris and Todd inherited their passion for the horses.

When Gene’s health began to fail in 2000, Sarah dedicated herself for the next 5 years to being Gene’s caregiver and make his final years happy and comfortable. She lost the one and only love of her life in July 2005. Another move, alone this time, from the farm to town and a new chapter. Sarah was extremely intelligent, and at 76-years-old quickly picked up on the internet and started her own Ebay business selling items she bought at yard sales and family items. Her life was full of her kids, grandkids, church, friends, and spending most of her winters in Ft. Myers, Florida. Her interests and pastimes were Church, travel, reading, puzzles, scratch-offs, singing, having lunch with friends, and getting to a casino once or twice a year. There was nothing more important to her in life than her family, and nothing more important to her family than her steady and unconditional love. Proverbs 31:28-29 : "Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: 'Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all!"

Sarah is survived by her children, Valerie (John) Thivierge, Fort Myers, FL, Doug (Wanda) Henry, Moberly, MO, Scott Henry, Moberly, MO, Todd Henry, Huntsville, MO, Chris (Marilyn) Henry, O’Fallon, MO, Kent (Sarah) Henry, Mexico, MO; grandchildren, Matthew (Tiffany) Thivierge, Fort Myers, FL, Jeremy (Susan) Henry, Gower, MO, Tonya (Nathan) Woodward, McFall, MO, Jason (Lacey) Henry, Higbee, MO, Kelly (Troy) Frank, Linn, MO, Allison (Cody) Carney, Paris, MO, Aaron (Elly) Henry, Columbia, MO, Joshua (Jamie) Henry, Russellville, MO, Patrick Henry, Huntsville, MO, Brandon (Sophia) Henry, San Francisco, CA, Jackson Henry, O’Fallon, MO, Preston Henry, O’Fallon, MO, Kim Guthrie, Moberly, MO, Shawn (Fallon) Guthrie, Moberly, MO, Bobbi (Chris) Howard, Huntsville, MO, Kayla Henry, Moberly, MO, Chris Guthrie, Moberly, MO; 32 great-grandkids, and many beloved nieces and nephews around the country. A heartfelt thank you to her dear friends over the years; Mr. & Mrs. Peterson (Middle Grove,MO), Dr. Chapman (Columbia, MO), Charles and Roberta Crutcher (Moberly, MO), Floyd & Margie Ames (Moberly, MO), Phyllis and Ron Self (Moberly, MO), Irene and Lloyd Pelfrey (Moberly, MO), Doris Carpenter (Middle Grove,MO), Meadow Ridge Assisted Living and Pat & Sandra (Pizza Works buddies).

She was preceded in death by her parents, Valentine and Verna Parsons Eigenbrod; a son, Lonnie Henry; siblings, Hilma Dennison, Dorothy Godby, Gloria Mangold, John David Eigenbrod, and Robert Eigenbrod.

If desired, donations can be sent to Timberlake Christian Church in Sarah Henry’s Memory.

Timberlake Christian Church, 1624 Gratz-Brown St. Moberly, MO, 65270.

Arrangements are under the direction of Pathway-Millard Family Funeral Chapel, 411 Union Avenue, Moberly, MO 65270 (660)263-7284. Condolences may be left online for the family at www. pathwaymemorial. com.