Lillie Evelyn (Bayne) Henson Passes on July 2, 2022

   Mrs. Evelyn Henson is shown working at Faith Printing Company in probably 1977. She is shown applying opaque paint to negative films used in the printing of books. Below is the photo of Evelyn presented in her obituary.

  Article by Steve Crain

 “Lillie Evelyn (Bayne) Henson, 86, wife of the late James Alfred Henson, went to be with the Lord on Saturday afternoon, July 2, 2022, at her home surrounded by her loving family,” her obituary said.

I came to know Evelyn (June 9, 1936—July 2, 2022) when she worked for Pastor James H. “Jimmy” Thompson at Faith Printing Company, Taylors, SC. 

I received an “early out” from the Army in Feb. 1972. I returned for a few months to where I’d worked for seven years during high school and college: Faith Printing (FP).     

Evelyn worked often in “masking” as an FP opaque painter. My Uncle Fred E. Crain headed up the making of negatives and positioning those negatives on masking sheets that were laid on sensitive metal plates and exposed to a special light. The finished plates went on presses. When ink rolled across those plates, it adhered to lettered and pictured areas. That is called “offset printing.”  

Evelyn’s job as an opaquer was to paint out (eliminate), with black watercolor paint, any faulty transparent areas on negatives (films to be burned onto metal plates). An opaquer had to “paint out” tiny dots of light (transparent areas on black film) that sometimes hid among small letters — tedious.

Evelyn possessed a warm personality and a great sense of humor. In my mind, I can still hear her laughter.

Evelyn’s funeral was held at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 6, 2022, at Locust Hill Baptist Church. Barbara, my wife since 2020, and I attended. The Rev. Michael Hodge, senior pastor, led the service and read Psalm 46. Mr. Jason Staggs also sang "Because He Lives."

Ms. Juanita Barnette, retired FP office manager of the now-closed Faith Printing, spoke, saying Evelyn and she were friends for over 50 years. Evelyn asked Juanita to speak at her funeral. 

“She loved God first,” Juanita said. “We started as friends at Faith Printing. She taught me about cooking … and how to be a Christian wife.”

Juanita said Evelyn worked as a Saturday canvasser for the then-operating Faith Temple Church bus program. On Sundays, she’d ride with a bus driver. One Sunday, the church welcomed 65 preschool children. Evelyn looked after the children, sometimes patrolling outside the building to make sure all who attended were inside and not trying to walk to a nearby store. She found clothes for children in need. 

“She loved children and taught them,” Juanita said. “She was also director of the ladies ministry.”

Evelyn specialized in food preparation and sang in the choir. Juanita spoke highly of Evelyn’s chicken-and-dumplings and coconut cake.

“She was comical, too,” Juanita said. “She loved to work with people and give them things. She’d pray for others. She encouraged me when my husband passed away. She suffered tremendously.”

Juanita thanked Evelyn’s daughter, Robin, for taking Evelyn into her home during the greater part of Evelyn’s widowhood and sickness. She called Robin’s home “a most peaceful place.” 

Juanita read Isaiah 40:28-40: 

  “28 Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding.
  “29 He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength.
  “30 Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall:
  “31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” 

Juanita read a poem called “I Made It Home”:

“I just wanted to let you know that I made it home. 
  “The journey wasn’t an easy one, but it didn’t take too long.   

“Everything is so pretty here, so white, so fresh and new. 
  “I wish that you all could close your eyes and that you could see it too.

“Please try not to be sad for me. Try to understand 
  “God is taking care of me… I’m in the shelter of His hands. 

“Here there is no sadness, no sorrow, and no pain.
  “Here there is no crying and I’ll never hurt again.

“Here it is so peaceful when all the angels sing.
  “I really have to go for now… I’ve just got to try my wings.”

Eric Mullinax, Robin Henson Mullinax’s son, spoke. He attends Locust Hill Baptist Church and works as its sound technician. His wife, Tanna, sang “I Bowed on My Knees and Cried Holy” at the funeral.

Eric said his Grandmother Evelyn’s father was a roofer. Evelyn told Eric, “We were poor but we didn’t know it.” 

“She made 30 fruitcakes, one Christmas,” Eric said. “Tanna loved her food. … She loved people.” He spoke of the “fruit of the Spirit” (Galatians 5), and said, “She always thought about other people. She had a heart for children. She was a leader and believed in “serve God; serve people.”    

Locust Hill’s Executive Pastor Jason Farr said, “Eric, you are a living servant of [like] your grandmother. … She witnessed to her nurses.She trusted in Jesus Christ.”   

Born in Greenville County, Evelyn was the daughter of the late Lee Oland Bayne and Octavia Moody Bayne. Evelyn was retired from both Krieger Corporation and Greenville County School District where she loved working in the cafeteria. She was a member of Faith Temple Church and also attended Locust Hill Baptist Church. 

Surviving to cherish her memory is her daughter: Robin Mullinax of Travelers Rest; grandson: Eric Mullinax and wife Tanna; great-grandsons: JD Mullinax and Cooper Mullinax; sister: Jo (Jewell) Tillotson; brother: Don (Donna) Bayne and many beloved nieces and nephews. 

Along with her husband, Evelyn was predeceased by a son, Randy Henson; brothers: Gene Bayne, Buddy Bayne, Edwin Bayne and a son-in-law, Doug Mullinax. 

Burial was at Faith Temple Church Cemetery. The family thanked Agape Care for their compassionate care of Evelyn in her final days. Memorials may be made to Agape Care, 400 Pelham Rd. #100, Greenville, SC 29615.