Exeter School remembers beloved fellow staff member
Nikki Henderson
March 13, 2019
Charlea Estes-Jones
When a small school experiences a loss, it's like losing a member of a family. That loss is something those at Exeter School District are experiencing after the loss of one of their cafeteria staff after a courageous battle with cancer.
Nikki Henderson worked in the cafeteria and was well-known for her contagious smile, fun attitude and dedication to her work and the kids. Her personality is one that will be missed by those at the school.
Exeter principal Tim Jordan said, "Nikki was a hard working employee who fought so hard for her family and friends.
"It was amazing to see how she has changed over the last few years as she overcame her first round of health issues. It was as if her perspectives changed, and she showed appreciation for having a chance to interact with kids everyday."
Her coworkers looked forward to her presence each day at work and admired her dedication. She worked in the cafeteria, and the women she worked with got to know her well over their years with her.
Fellow cafeteria staff member Velveeta Steinbach said, "After almost six years of serving together, we learned each other's serving habits. If I got behind, she would help me. If she got behind, I would help her. We kept it pretty smooth.”
Tobey Periman shared, "She always had a smile for me. She was the first person I talked to every day. The kitchen staff were the first friends here when I started."
Jordan said that Nikki went out of her way to talk to students in the lunch line and always wanted to be a positive influence.
He said, "I noticed her talking with students as she served them lunch or as they brought their dirty dishes to the window. She grew so much in this area of her life.
"She cared about the kids and wanted to have a positive influence on them."
Steinbach said she loved her family and the kids at the school. She shared, "Nikki took pride in every salad she made, all the way to drawing a smiley face on the wrapper."
Four of Nikki's children attend Exeter School, and some fellow staff got to know her as a parent and a coworker.
Fellow staff member Stephanie Crumpler shared, "I've had the privilege of not only working with Nikki here at Exeter but also coaching her girls in cheerleading and volleyball. She was an avid supporter of her girls, and you could always hear her cheering her girls on from the top of the bleachers. We have recently started our middle school volleyball season, and we all certainly miss hearing her yell from the top of the bleachers. I told my players that we know Nikki is in a better place, no more pain, and no more cancer, so now they play for Nikki."
Sue Ann Morgan also worked with Nikki in the cafeteria. She said, "She took great pride in her salads.
"We didn’t have dull moments. She was like a little sister, and I’ll always remember her smile."
No matter who you talked to, the one resonating feature of Nikki always came back to her smile. Crumpler said, "Nikki was a courageous fighter who never let the pain or fight she was fighting affect the person she was. She had a way about her that would lighten your mood and put a smile on your face."
Steinbach said she remembered a lot of things about Nikki, including her love for animals and flowers, noting that she grew the most beautiful roses. She said Nikki loved socks and for gifts, soft socks were always the first choice.
However, above all, Steinbach remembered Nikki's love of rainbows. She said, "The thing she loved the most was rainbows. She would stop what she was doing, didn't matter what she was doing either, to go take a picture of that rainbow.
"I'm sorry you're not here, Nikki, but I am thrilled you have the best seat in the house for all future rainbows. Nikki is somewhere over her rainbow, smiling."
Jordan said, "We talk a lot about not just being a team here at Exeter Schools but being more like a family, and it definitely showed in the way our students and staff came together to support Nikki and her family."
Nikki leaves behind her husband, James Morehead, and her five daughters Aubree, Malyea, Isabelle, Chloe and Savannah.
A memorial fund was created to benefit her children through White Funeral Home, in Cassville.
Charlea Estes-Jones
When a small school experiences a loss, it's like losing a member of a family. That loss is something those at Exeter School District are experiencing after the loss of one of their cafeteria staff after a courageous battle with cancer.
Nikki Henderson worked in the cafeteria and was well-known for her contagious smile, fun attitude and dedication to her work and the kids. Her personality is one that will be missed by those at the school.
Exeter principal Tim Jordan said, "Nikki was a hard working employee who fought so hard for her family and friends.
"It was amazing to see how she has changed over the last few years as she overcame her first round of health issues. It was as if her perspectives changed, and she showed appreciation for having a chance to interact with kids everyday."
Her coworkers looked forward to her presence each day at work and admired her dedication. She worked in the cafeteria, and the women she worked with got to know her well over their years with her.
Fellow cafeteria staff member Velveeta Steinbach said, "After almost six years of serving together, we learned each other's serving habits. If I got behind, she would help me. If she got behind, I would help her. We kept it pretty smooth.”
Tobey Periman shared, "She always had a smile for me. She was the first person I talked to every day. The kitchen staff were the first friends here when I started."
Jordan said that Nikki went out of her way to talk to students in the lunch line and always wanted to be a positive influence.
He said, "I noticed her talking with students as she served them lunch or as they brought their dirty dishes to the window. She grew so much in this area of her life.
"She cared about the kids and wanted to have a positive influence on them."
Steinbach said she loved her family and the kids at the school. She shared, "Nikki took pride in every salad she made, all the way to drawing a smiley face on the wrapper."
Four of Nikki's children attend Exeter School, and some fellow staff got to know her as a parent and a coworker.
Fellow staff member Stephanie Crumpler shared, "I've had the privilege of not only working with Nikki here at Exeter but also coaching her girls in cheerleading and volleyball. She was an avid supporter of her girls, and you could always hear her cheering her girls on from the top of the bleachers. We have recently started our middle school volleyball season, and we all certainly miss hearing her yell from the top of the bleachers. I told my players that we know Nikki is in a better place, no more pain, and no more cancer, so now they play for Nikki."
Sue Ann Morgan also worked with Nikki in the cafeteria. She said, "She took great pride in her salads.
"We didn’t have dull moments. She was like a little sister, and I’ll always remember her smile."
No matter who you talked to, the one resonating feature of Nikki always came back to her smile. Crumpler said, "Nikki was a courageous fighter who never let the pain or fight she was fighting affect the person she was. She had a way about her that would lighten your mood and put a smile on your face."
Steinbach said she remembered a lot of things about Nikki, including her love for animals and flowers, noting that she grew the most beautiful roses. She said Nikki loved socks and for gifts, soft socks were always the first choice.
However, above all, Steinbach remembered Nikki's love of rainbows. She said, "The thing she loved the most was rainbows. She would stop what she was doing, didn't matter what she was doing either, to go take a picture of that rainbow.
"I'm sorry you're not here, Nikki, but I am thrilled you have the best seat in the house for all future rainbows. Nikki is somewhere over her rainbow, smiling."
Jordan said, "We talk a lot about not just being a team here at Exeter Schools but being more like a family, and it definitely showed in the way our students and staff came together to support Nikki and her family."
Nikki leaves behind her husband, James Morehead, and her five daughters Aubree, Malyea, Isabelle, Chloe and Savannah.
A memorial fund was created to benefit her children through White Funeral Home, in Cassville.
