Henry J. Fordham II

DOVER - Henry J. Fordham II of Dover passed away Tuesday March 6, 2007, in Bayhealth-Kent General Hospital, Dover, after a long illness.

He was born in West Point, Miss., April 18, 1938, son of the late Henry J. Fordham and Lucille Johnson.

Henry was a devoted and loving husband to the late Agnes V. Parker Fordham for 38 years.

He served in the U.S. Army and was honorably discharged.

Mr. Fordham was an entrepreneur and businessman.

He co-owned Agie's Hair Den in Dover with his wife for 16 years while obtaining his barbering and cosmetology license to operate the family business.

He later went to Delaware State University where he pursued a degree in business.

He also obtained his insurance license with World Marketing Alliance to become a financial advisor and stock broker. He was involved in a number of businesses.

Henry was truly spiritual and had a strong religious family background. He went to school during his youth at the Oakwood Academy in Huntsville, Ala.

Henry's family members are devoted Seven Day Adventists, most of which are members of the clergy such as pastors, elders, evangelists and missionaries and very successful businessmen and women who devoted their lives to enriching the lives of others with spiritual and educational guidance.

When Henry's health began to fail he continued to uplift the name of Lord and praise his name daily. He taught his children and grandchildren to obey God's law to be faithful until death.

In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by three sisters, Betty Johnson Hall, Cathy Fordham, and Yelle Fordham.

He is survived by five daughters, Karine Fordham, Valerie Fordham, Adrienne Fordham and Aletra Fordham, all of Wilmington and Lisa Chandler of Seaford; four sons, Fredrick Parker, of Georgetown, Henry Fordham Jr., of Smynra, Ali A. Fordham and Nathan Fordham, both of Dover; 13 grandchildren; one great-grandson; two sisters, Juanita and her husband, Charles Mosley, of Dover and Linda and her husband, Eugene Hammond, of Louisiana; six brothers, Frank and his wife, Betty Murray, of Washington D.C., Sidney and his wife, Annie Mae Murray, of Cambridge, Md., Henry J Fordham III, of Glenwood, Md., Willie and his wife Betty Johnson Jr., of Newark, N.J., Theodore Johnson, of N.Y., and Chris Johnson, of Salisbury, Md.; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Services will be held on Thursday in Mt. Carmel Seventh Day Adventist Church at 11 a.m. with a viewing two hours prior to service.

A viewing will also be held on Wednesday in Bennie Smith Funeral Home, 717 W. Division St., Dover, from 5-7 p.m.