Elizabeth Padgett Hensarling lived a long and full life enriched by love and epitomized by her gracious and thoughtful interactions with all she met. On October 13, 2020, following a brief illness and 94 years on this earth, “Aunt Liz” rejoined her beloved George in heaven, passing peacefully in the company of family members and her sweet caregivers at Provision Living in Hattiesburg, MS. She was a blessing to all who knew her, quick with a smile or a teasing comment, ever-attentive to the joys and the woes of those in her sphere, generous of her time, wisdom, and resources, and guaranteed to respond to “I love you,” with “It goes both ways.”
Aunt Liz, a native of Wilmington, NC, was born on August 8, 1926, to Thelma and Jerome Padgett. In 1944, in a world turned upside down by World War II, she met and married the love of her life, George A. Hensarling, Jr., a 21-year-old native of Petal, MS who was in Wilmington for fighter pilot training before being shipped to the Pacific. Upon George’s return from the war, the couple moved to Starkville, MS for George to complete his studies at Mississippi State University. They relocated to Birmingham, AL until 1964 and then to Pittsburgh, PA where they lived until retirement in 1986. During those years away from Mississippi, they continued to enjoy their MSU friends and annual football trips, returns to North Carolina for regular family beach trips, golf and tennis, and traveling, especially to England.
Following retirement, the couple established a home at Windance Country Club in Gulfport, MS, but fortuitously moved to Hattiesburg in 2005 before Hurricane Katrina. They enjoyed many years together at Canebrake and Emeritus/Brookdale before George passed away in 2013. Aunt Liz had recently relocated to Provision where she was enjoying family, new friends and fun activities before the pandemic struck.
Liz and George considered their seven collective siblings as both of their siblings, making no distinctions between relationships that grew from blood or from marriage.
She is survived by Barbara Padgett Huband and spouse Ralph (“Junie”) Huband of Neptune Beach, FL; Gloria Hensarling Powe, also of Provision in Hattiesburg; Tom Hensarling and wife Carol Davis Hensarling of Picayune, MS; Kitty Wilson Hensarling of Terry, MS; and Dean Smith Hensarling, also of Picayune. She was preceded in death by George; her parents, Thelma and Jerome Padgett; George’s parents, Alma and Auby Hensarling of Petal; Martha Padgett Gallagher and her husband Frank (“Jim”) Gallagher of Doylestown, PA; Kin Hensarling of Terry; Howard Hensarling and his wife Bettye Gunn Hensarling of Petal, Hattiesburg and Metairie, LA; A. G. Powe of Hattiesburg; and Doyle Hensarling of Picayune. Although Liz and George had no children, they were surrounded by nieces and nephews, in-laws and out-laws, and all of their progeny.
Due to social distancing necessitated by the pandemic, services will take place at the grave side only at Hillcrest Cemetery in Petal on Saturday, October 17, 2020, at 1:30 p.m. Niece Rev. Heather Hensarling will officiate. Services will be provided by Moore Funeral Home, Hattiesburg.
