Elizabeth Henke

Elizabeth "Betty" Henke, a beloved wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, and friend, passed away peacefully on July 10, 2024, in Austin, Texas, following a five-month battle with cancer. She was 78 years old. Betty's life was a beacon of faith, love, and compassion. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

Born on February 24, 1946, in St. Louis, Missouri, to George and Mary (Tighe) Weingaertner, Betty graduated from Fontbonne College with a degree in Speech-Language Pathology.

In 1969, Betty married the love of her life, Robert "Bob" Henke. Their union was a testament to love and commitment, spanning 55 years. Betty met Bob, a Civil Engineer working for Shell Oil at the time, at a Fontbonne College school dance. Their romance quickly blossomed, and after marrying, they relocated to Houston, Texas, for Bob’s job.

Eventually, Betty and Bob settled in Spring, Texas, where they raised their three daughters: Mary Ann, Margaret, and Karen. Betty embraced motherhood with the utmost love, support, and patience. She made lifelong friendships with her Northampton neighbors through playgroups and the Barracudas Swim Team. Betty's fun, creative, and easygoing nature landed her a wide circle of friends she cherished deeply. She enjoyed engaging in lively neighbor gatherings, book club discussions, volunteering in neighborhood gardens, political functions, and theater ushering.

Betty had a lifelong love of anything water-related: swimming, boating, and waterskiing. Her parents introduced her to boating on the Mississippi River, a tradition she continued in Texas with a bright yellow boat and a quaint lake house atop a hill on Lake Livingston. It was the perfect refuge and gathering place for family and friends.

Betty’s adventurous spirit was reflected in the many summers spent at the beloved lake house, teaching family and friends to fish, ski, and tube. It was a memory generator, a place of joy and laughter, and she made every trip extra special with her morning coffee and crumb cake, watermelon on the dock, and bottomless bowls of queso and chips after a long day on the water.

She had a special place in her heart for stray dogs, which may explain why the Henke family had seven dogs at once…and cats and birds too. There might have even been a greenhouse of parakeets and cockatiels. Her love of animals was shared with family and friends, who were often recipients of special feathered deliveries, sometimes after a 15-hour road trip or flight! Known as an animal whisperer, Betty would often nurse wounded animals brought to her back to health.

Betty also had a green thumb and was an avid gardener in her backyard, which complemented her interests in bird watching and outdoor entertaining. She often sat with family and friends on their beautiful patio, enjoying the view, weather events, lush gardens, wild birds, and comical squirrels. In her frequent visits to Austin, Betty would tote plant seedlings and clippings to share with her daughters.

Betty had a passion for working with kids. She was an excellent Speech-Language Pathologist and worked for many years in Houston's Aldine School District. Her experience proved instrumental after Bob was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. She was his biggest advocate, personal speech therapist, and drill sergeant, frequently researching the latest speech drills to facilitate the best outcomes for him.

Special joy was found in spending time with her seven grandchildren. "Camp Grandma”, held annually during the kids' summer visits to Spring, was tailored to each grandchild's interests. Old-fashioned fun included building bird mazes, lizard hunting, board games, golf ball hunting, swimming at the neighborhood pools, making pancakes and crumb cake, and watching the traditional favorite "The Parent Trap”. Outings involved visits to local parks in and around The Woodlands, the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, trips to NASA, and Galveston Beach.

Betty is survived by her devoted husband, Robert; her loving daughters and sons-in-law, Mary Ann (Aaron), Margaret (John), and Karen (Ted); her adoring grandchildren, Thomas, Sydney, Madeleine, Emily, Nathan, Matthew, and Ryan; her sister, Mary Ann Sweeney; and many nieces, nephews, extended family members, and friends who will all miss her dearly.

She was preceded in death by her parents, George and Mary Weingaertner, and her brother, George Jr. Weingaertner.

A memorial service to celebrate Betty's life will be held at St. John Neumann Catholic Church on July 29, 2024, at 11:00 AM. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the American Cancer Society in Betty's memory, to support cancer research, treatment, and care. You can access her contribution page by clicking the link in the Memorial Contributions section below.

Betty will be remembered for her fun-loving nature, kindness, unwavering faith, and deep love and dedication to her family and friends. She will be dearly missed, and her legacy of warmth and compassion will continue to inspire all who were fortunate enough to know her.

Memorial Service and Reception

Please RSVP with the link provided:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfiaDD56cDJiBva8ZmihvmDc3mfUpSnfI_S-_H9zurlsPNrEg/viewform

St. John Neumann Catholic Church

5455 Bee Caves Rd.

West Lake Hills, TX 78746

512.328.3220

https://sjnaustin.org/