Marie Louise Herndon was born in Alton, Illinois on December16, 1910 and passed away in St. Louis, Missouri on August 6, 2006. She married the late Arthur Owen Herndon on July 2, 1932 in Venice, Illinois after teaching in a one-room schoolhouse in Clarksville, Missouri where she met her him. From this marriage were born three daughters, Rose Marie, Marjorie Jane, and Mazie Ann. Marjorie and Mazie preceded her in death. She was a retired government employee from John Cochran Veterans Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. In 1999, Marie wrote her own biography for the Alton Museum of History and Art upon receiving recognition for being an outstanding Alton Black Achiever. The biography reads as follows:
On December 16, 1910, I was born to Anna Gill Williams who was a daughter of James Franklin Gill, one of the favorite people in my life; you see, Grandpa Gill was the male role model in my young life. He loved me so tenderly and told me stories of his life, which was not a pleasant one. He had been born a slave in Washington County, Missouri about 1846. At the age of 16, he ran away and somehow made it to the Union Army in Illinois where he enlisted to fight for his freedom. He stayed in the service until 1865. Later, he met a widow named Jane Bevenue Williams and married her. I did not know my grandmother, but I heard that she was a good wife, mother and Christian.
In my young years, Grandpa Gill babied and loved me so much. I remember when I was about 4 years old, Grandpa used to give me a little bit of old beer in a little tin cup. My cousins, who lived near us, weren’t allowed to drink any beer, so they teased me. It so happened that the little Methodist church in North Alton had a revival meeting held by a female evangelist, who was a “fire and brimstone” preacher. Her sermons on Hell would make you sit up and fear it. One night after preaching about Hell and its horrors, she said that on the next night she would preach about who was going to Hell. I was listening the next night to all she said. She told us that the liars, thieves and robbers, backsliders, wife beaters and, yes, beer drinkers were on their way to Hell. I was so afraid that the next morning when my grandfather gave me the beer, I told him, “No! I just can’t drink beer anymore because I don’t want to go to Hell.” Since then, I have always stayed away form any alcoholic drinks.
The Methodist church on Mitchell Street is where I received my good religious training and after converting to Catholicism, I have never strayed form my early religious beliefs of right and wrong. At the age of 9, I left Grandpa Gill and went to live with my Aunt Ida and Uncle Jim Norvell, who operated a barber shop at 207 W. 4th Street in downtown Alton. I lived with them until I went away to college and finally married Arthur Owen Herndon in 1932.
In 1958, after having reared two daughters and sent them to college, I found I had time, so I joined the choir in my neighborhood church and began to practice on the organ there. This went on until sometime in the early 1960’s. Finally, the pastor asked me to provide music for the early Mass. When he asked about charges, my grandfather came to mind because when I was 9 years old, I wanted to study piano, but I had no one who would pay for the lessons except Grandpa Gill. He made me promise that I would never charge a church, any church, for playing an instrument at service time. This has been a promise that I kept for 36 years, the number of years that I played as a volunteer for Visitation Church. I have given a little, but the blessings I have received have been enumerable.
Beginning in the 1960’s, I found that I also had time for children in the community, so I decided to try to entertain them with a few magic tricks. Two friends joined me and we formed the Freddie, Mr. Buttons, and Pepe’, the clown – me. We entertained at hospitals, nursing homes, and children’s parties, strictly on a volunteer basis.
As you read Marie’s biography, you feel her love for life and her desire to achieve. She belonged to clubs, received awards, played music, created works of art, and loved her family, friends, and church.
As a member of Visitation, she belonged to the Jet-Setter’s and spoke at many funerals. On December 16, 1979, Visitation Saint Ann’s Shrine honored Marie for her years of service, and on Mother’s Day 2006, named their conference/music room the Marie Herndon Room.
In 1998 she was featured in the Northside Journal recognizing her love of music and family. Another outstanding achievement was her induction into the Alton Museum of History and Art by the Committee on Black Pioneers as an outstanding Alton Black Achiever.
Marie loved to crochet, make handmade cards, bake cakes and cookies, play the lottery and casino nickel slots, play the organ, go to church, and enjoy the company of her family. One of her last creations was a beautiful full size, red and white afghan that she took pride in showing off.
Marie was especially proud of her family. She leaves to cherish her memory, daughter, Rose H. Singfield, Goddaughter, Jacqueline Harvey, Son in-law, Stafford C. Daniels, Grandchildren, Cynthia McIntyre (Gary), Lavatryce Singfield (Jose), Alyson Singfield, Carole Daley (Michel), William Singfield (Lizzy), Stafford Daniels, Jr. (Cheryl), Marc Daniels, (Finau), Brion Daniels, Stephen Daniels (Tina). Great-grandchildren: Hope Lynn Stevenson, Tommy Stevenson, (Shanna), Earl (Tre) M. Johnson, Marisa McIntyre, Gary McIntyre, Jr., Adam Daley, Ryan Daley, Stafford Daniels III, Rachel Daniels, Italia Daniels, Alicia Daniels, Marc Daniels, Jr., and Samantha Daniels. Great Godson: Jared Odom, Great-Great Grandchildren: Haley Rose Stevenson, Jeremiah Moses, Jordan Stevenson and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family and friends.
Services: Visitation: Sunday, Aug. 13, 4PM-8PM, Roberts Funeral Home, 1416 N Taylor. Funeral: Monday, Aug. 14, 12 Noon, Visitation St. Ann’s Shrine, 4515 Evans at N. Taylor.
