AVIS HALL HERNDON

Fort Worth, Texas - Mrs. Avis Elviney Hall Herndon was born November 20, 1939 in Monroe, LA to the parentage of Alfred Hall and Gladys BRADLEY Jewett Hall. She was educated in the public school system in Monroe and attended Tarrant County Junior College. Avis holds Bachelors and Master’s degrees from North Texas State University and a Ministerial degree from Brite Divinity School at Texas Christian University. If you ever spent any time with her, you would immediately notice that her smile lights up the room. She always said “A smile is free. Smiles and laughter give me a reason to live unto, my faith.” You might say hers was a smile sent from heaven and you would be correct. Avis was a devout servant of the Lord. She attended St. John Baptist Church in Chestnut, LA; Community Missionary Baptist Church in Fort Worth and for more than 2 score and 9 years, she has been a faithful member of University Christian Church. During her time at UCC, Avis has served as an usher, Sunday school teacher, Board-member, participated with the TCU student events (including Dinner Wednesdays) and sang in the Jubilee Choir. She was part of Minister’s Week and Stalcup Minister’s Alliance among various other Disciples of Christ organizations and activities. Most notably Avis was honored to serve as an Elder for the church, a position she did not take lightly and worked diligently to mentor others. Herndon taught for 45 years in the Fort Worth Independent School District. She was a member of several educational organizations including Fort Worth Classroom Teachers, Texas State Teachers Association and National Education Association. She was just as active a volunteer with the many civic groups she was a part of: the Democratic State and National Committees, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and Plus Two Toastmasters. Her prized accomplishment was “Willie’s Story: How a Little Boy Understands Alzheimer’s,” a book she wrote and published in 2020. Avis was preceded in death by her parents, Alfred and Gladys Hall, her husband, Reverend Alvin Lee Herndon and one son, Bryan Keith Hall. Nonetheless she was blessed with a host of family, close friends and comrades and mentored many students who will dearly miss her teachings and support. Her memory will be cherished by sons Darrell André Hall (Lakita), Anthony Jerome Hall, Rodney James Lambert; daughter Wendy Hall; grandchildren Ariel El-Amin Hall, Aaron Jacob Hall, Bryan Matthew Hall, Parys Hall, Anthony Hall Jr., Victor Hall, Victoria Hall and Brittiany Rachel Robinson; greatgrandchildren Chloe Stauffer, Nicholas Stauffer and Skylar Robinson; dear cousins, other relatives, a matchless number of friends and many, many former students and admirers.