Mrs. Willie Ford Hennessee

Mrs. Willie Ford Hennessee a native of Columbus, Ohio moved to North Carolina to attend Allen Home High School in Asheville, NC, and graduated from Allen Home High School.

She attended St. Augustine College in Raleigh, N.C. but left to attend and graduate from Poro Beauty College, Chicago, Ill.

She was the owner-manager of Willie's Beauty Nook; past president N.C. State Beauty Culturist and Cosmetologist Assn. Inc.; past secretary national Beauty Culturist League Inc.

Mrs. Hennessee was a member of Theta Nu Sigma Sorority; owner manager Wilson-Hennessee Funeral Home; member N.C. Embalmers and Funeral Directors; member National Embalmers and Funeral Directors.

She was the first Black voter registrar appointee in Western N.C. 1960-1970; as a member of St. Anthony's Catholic Church, later St. Lawrence Catholic Church, active as a lector, choir member, a past president of St. Lawrence Altar Society.

Mrs. Willie Ford Hennessee passed away in 1981, and she is buried in Riverside Cemetery.

Photograph and narrative source: Heritage of Black Highlanders Collection
ca. 1888-1972. D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections, University of North Carolina at Asheville.