George Patrick Henderson, 96, a longtime resident of Mora, and Las Vegas for the past 17 years, passed away on Monday, April 29, 2013.He was born on March 17, 1917 in Laramie, Wyo., and left school to work as a switch man for the railroad for roughly nine years. He was a rancher in Deadwood, S.D., in the late 1930s and in 1940, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and was stationed in Bermuda for two years. After returning in 1942, he lived in Stockton, Calif., then returned to Laramie around 1963 and graduated from the Wyoming Law Enforcement Academy in June 1965. He then became and Under Sheriff for seven years. George married the "Turtle Dove" of his life in 1971 and they settled in Mora, to raise their family. He loved music and enjoyed playing the accordion and organ. He enjoyed dancing with his wife every Sunday for many years. George was a general contractor and left his craftsmanship in the Mora Valley, Pendaries and the Las Vegas area. He also loved to hunt and fish.His love for his wife Maria was very apparent to all and his love for his children was only surpassed for the love of his grandchildren, and his grand children loved him.He is preceded in death by his parents, Rosalind and Frank Henderson; brothers, Chuck and Frank; sisters, Lilly, Flora and Ellen and his son, Gary Atencio.George is survived by his wife Maria; daughter and son-in-law, Virginia and Paul Chilton and sons and daughters-in-law, Larry and Villa Valdez, Vince and Sandy Valdez, Luke and Leissa Valdez, Frank and Yolanda Valdez, Robert and Amita Henderson; 29 grandchildren, 51 great- grandchildren, 29 great- great-grandchildren; niece, Alice Brockway and several other nieces and nephews, cousins and great friends.A memorial service to celebrate George's life will be held at 11 a.m., Friday at Nelson Funeral Home, with military honors provided by the U.S. Navy to honor his service to our country.Visit www.nelsonfuneralhomelv.com for online condolences.Funeral arrangements for George have been entrusted to Nelson Funeral Home; 801 Douglas Avenue, Las Vegas; 425-6551.