Merla Wardell LaFollette Henderson

Jan. 11, 1931 – Aug. 27, 2025

Merla Wardell LaFollette Henderson, 94, of Burlington passed away August, 27, 2025,
at Powell Valley Care Center. 

She was born on January 11, 1931, in Cowley, the fifth child in a family of eight born to Albert Dalton Wardell and Linnie Dalley Jones. She grew up on a farm south of Otto. She attended school in Otto and Greybull.

She married Martin Davidson LaFollette on November 28, 1947, in Billings. They were
the parents of seven children, Martin, Linnie, Lynette, Mary, Lester, Janet and Judy. 

Martin was a masonry contractor. The family moved often to building sites throughout Wyoming and Montana. When the children were in school the family settled in Montana.

Following the death of her husband in 1963, Merla married Reanous McIntosh Henderson of Burlington on July 31, 1964, in Idaho Falls. The family settled on the farm in Burlington. Two children, Albert and Sue, joined the family.

Merla loved being a mother and devoted her time to her family. She enjoyed the mountains, gardening and cooking and was an excellent seamstress and homemaker. After raising her children, she was employed as a librarian, then as head cook at Burlington Schools. 

Merla was an active lifelong member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She served faithfully in many different capacities. A highlight was a full-time mission with Reanous in the Washington, D.C., Temple, followed by years of service in the Billings, Montana, Temple. She diligently strived to follow her Savior, Jesus Christ, and be an example of His love.

She was preceded in death by her parents; siblings Albert (Fern) Jones, Callis (Euniece) Jones, Preston Jones, Irma (Melvin) Neves and Lee (Jean) Jones; husbands; infant
son Martin; grandchild Martin Joseph Neves; and three great-grandchildren.

Merla is survived by a brother, Mack (Bonnie) Wardell of Lovell; sister Joan (Bruce) Butler of Laurel, Montana; children Linnie (Jody) Neves, Lynette (Randall) Johnson, Mary (Allan)
Howard, Lester (Lynette) LaFollette, Judy (Lynn) Wiles and Albert (Karen) Henderson, all of
Burlington, Janet LaFollette of Dhaka, Bangladesh, and Sue (Kent) Anderson of Greybull; 45 grandchildren; 167 great-grandchildren; and 15 great-great-grandchildren.

Services will be held September 6 at 10 a.m. at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Burlington. A viewing will be at 9:15 a.m. Interment will be in the Otto Cemetery.

Her family expresses gratitude for the loving care given Merla by the staff at the Powell Valley Care Center.