Pearl Henderson Bolding

Pearl Ann Henderson Bolding, age 93, a resident of Bastrop, died on September 2, 2025.

Pearl was born on December 18, 1931, in Sutton, West Virginia. She was the ninth child of Benjamin and Edna Vallie Linger Henderson. Pearl enlisted in the United States Air Force on April 9, 1951. Striving to be the best of the best was always foremost in Pearl's mind. She finished at the top of her Basic Training Class at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas, was Honor Student of her Technical Training Class at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyoming, and for that honor she was given her choice of bases throughout the United States. She chose Ft. Myers, Virginia, thus ending up working in the Pentagon. While stationed in Washington, D.C., and working at the Pentagon, Pearl traveled to Delaware to visit her brother, who was also in the Air Force. While there she was introduced to her future husband, Earnie.

After her marriage to Earnie on July 3, 1953, at Chanute AFB, Illinois, she followed her husband wherever the Air Force would allow - to Illinois, Mississippi, Texas, France, Florida and finally back to Texas to settle in the Watterson Community. Their son, David, was born in West Virginia during one of Earnie's isolated tours to Korea and their other son, Danny, was born in Mississippi. Pearl also began her career with the U.S. Civil Service while traveling with her family. She retired from Civil Service with 33 years 6 months of dedicated service on September 29, 1993. During this span of years, Pearl received numerous awards including Outstanding Performance Awards each year and was named Bergstrom's Volunteer of the Year in 1988 and was nominated for the Texas Women's Hall of Fame in 1989.

Pearl was an active member of the Texas Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs, Inc., having been responsible for the organization of the Bastrop Club in 1981 and the drivine force behind Pearl was an active member of the Texas Federation of Business and Professional Women's Clubs, Inc., having been responsible for the organization of the Bastrop Club in 1981 and the driving force behind this organization for many years. She served this organization on the local, district, state and national level, believing that their objective of "Women Helping Women" is an objective that all women should support. She was named the Texas BPW District Director of the Year in 1987 and District 6 Woman of the Year in 1989.

Pearl was very active in the Court Appointed Special Advocates of Bastrop County. She once said that if she could do one thing to make a difference in a child's life then her life would have counted for something. She did make a difference not only in the lives of her two sons, her eight grandchildren, her 19 great-grandchildren, 5 great-great-grandchildren, but in the lives of the families she worked with as a CASA volunteer.

She was a long time member of Hills Prairie Baptist Church.

Pearl's love for her family was always evident in all that she did. She was preceded in death by her husband Earnie, son Danny, granddaughter Candace, great-granddaughter Alexandra, her dad and mom, six brothers and 4 sisters. She is survived by son David H. (Barbara) of Raymondville, Texas; grandchildren, Luci, Becky, Katie, Kyle, David II, Danny II, Jeffrey, Chelsea, 20 great-grandchildren, and 4 great-great grandchildren, as well as many “adopted” grandchildren.

She enjoyed picking up her grandchildren and great-grandchildren to spend time with them shopping, going out to eat, vacationing, sleepovers and having New Years Eve parties. She always said they are the lights of her life.

A visitation will be held from 4:00pm to 6:00pm on Sunday, September 7, 2025 at Marrs Jones Newby Funeral Home. Memorial services will be held at 11:00 am on Monday, September 8, 2025 at Marrs Jones Newby Funeral Home.