Helena Cecilia “Tut” Henriksen, 97, of Beaumont, died Saturday, January 23, 2016 at Christus Hospital St. Elizabeth, Beaumont. She was born on February 18, 1918, in Plaquemine, Louisiana, to Helena Cecilia Corrigan Ritter and John Louis Ritter.
Tut was a graduate of French High School and attended Texas Women’s University in Denton. She married H.T. Henriksen in September of 1936 and together, they raised two beautiful daughters. She retired after thirty years of service as a Librarian at Terrell Public Library. She was a charter member of St. Pius X Catholic Church and was active in the Catholic Daughters of America and St. Pius X Ladies. Tut enjoyed reading, gardening, basketball, and football.
She is survived by daughters, Melanie Henriksen Nelson and Linda Henriksen Kmiecik, M.D.; grandchildren, Margaret Grant and her husband, Michael; Lynn Carter and her husband, Dan; and Kathryn Vernau and her husband, George, Jr.; great-granddaughters; Madeline Grant, Abigail Grant, Elizabeth Grant, Charlotte Grant, Meredith Grant, Alexandra Grant, Zoe Carter and Ava Carter; great-grandsons, Daniel Lee Carter III and George James Vernau III.
She is preceded in death by her parents and husband, H.T. Henriksen, brother, John Earl Ritter, Sr.; grandson, Franklin Edward Nelson II; and son-in-laws, Franklin Edward Nelson and James Edward Kmiecik.
A gathering of Mrs. Henriksen’s family and friends will begin 4:00 p.m., with a Rosary to be lead by the Catholic Daughters of America at 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, January 26, 2016, at Broussard’s, 2000 McFaddin Avenue, Beaumont. A Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, January 27, 2016, at St. Pius X Catholic Church, 5075 Bigner Road, Beaumont with interment to follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Beaumont.
Memorial contributions may be made to Catholic Daughters of America, Court of St. Girard and St. Pius X Ladies, 5075 Bigner Road, Beaumont, Texas 77708.
