Stephanie Michelle Henman

In Loving Memory of

Stephanie Michelle Henman

August 2, 1966 – September 21, 2026

Stephanie Michelle Henman, born Stephanie Michelle Morris, was born on August 2, 1966, in Santa Clara, California. Her childhood was chaotic, adventurous, and full of movement. She traveled across the United States with her father, experiencing places, people, and cultures that many children never had the opportunity to see. She often spent a great deal of time alone, and while that taught her independence, it also made finding a sense of security and permanence difficult.

When asked about her childhood, Stephanie would simply smile and say, “I was perfect.” And in her own way, she was. She was funny, stubborn, independent, and famously particular about her food. For a time, her diet consisted almost entirely of plain white rice. She loved school and buried herself in her work, always getting things done. Yet despite moving so often, making friends came naturally to her. She could walk into a room, start talking to someone she had never met, and before long they would be laughing together like they had known each other for years.

Stephanie was endlessly creative. She knitted, built things, fixed things, made things, and could turn almost anything into something beautiful or useful. She had a special love for dogs, and every dog she owned seemed to be exceptionally smart—something she was always proud of.

As a young woman, Stephanie met Brian Kevin Henman while they were both working at a restaurant—he was a cook and she was a waitress. She always remembered the first time she saw him, carrying a boombox on his shoulder. He was a metalhead she loved prince but somehow the two fell deeply and quickly in love. Brian’s family welcomed Stephanie as their own, giving her the sense of family she had spent much of her childhood searching for.

Their relationship was not perfect, but their love was lasting. Brian remained a profound and irreplaceable part of Stephanie’s heart throughout her life. They married on Father’s Day, and together they had two children, Sabrina and Stephen. Sabrina was Brian’s only daughter, and Stephen was her older brother. In 2000, Stephanie welcomed her youngest daughter, named after herself ~Stephanie, completing her family.

Stephanie was a mother who loved fiercely. She could be strict, especially when her children were young, but as the years passed, she softened. Later, Stephanie’s relationship with her youngest daughter’s father ended in a painful breakup that ultimately separated her from her daughter. Knowing she would not be allowed the freedom to live her life or maintain the relationship she wanted with her daughter, Stephanie made the difficult decision to begin again in the West, where she could pursue her dream of becoming a cook and chef.

Cooking became one of her greatest gifts. Stephanie could take four ingredients and somehow turn them into a gourmet meal. She could make something out of almost nothing. Birthdays and holidays were never simply days on the calendar—they were occasions she used to create something special for the people she loved.

She was also a giver. If she had nothing to give, she would find something beautiful. She wrapped presents in blankets, saved beautiful wrapping paper, and sometimes made her own. She would give her last $20 to someone she loved, especially her children. She taught her children not only how to survive, but how to care for others, how to be generous, and how to be a mother.

Stephanie had a beautiful and unmistakable sense of style—a mixture of hippie, modern, 1980s, and fancy that somehow worked perfectly because it was completely her. She also had a signature scent: Estée Lauder Beautiful, a perfume Brian once gave her. Years later, Sabrina and Stephen saved their money to buy it for her themselves. After Stephanie passed away, Sabrina found that same bottle among her belongings, still holding much of the perfume after all those years. It was a small reminder of how Stephanie treasured the things that carried meaning for her.

She also had a laugh that could find you anywhere.

One of Sabrina’s favorite memories happened when she and Stephen were children. Their mother said she was going to visit a friend while they stayed home together. The children decided to go for a walk, wandering farther and farther from home until they realized they no longer knew exactly where they were. Then, from somewhere down the street, they heard a familiar laugh.

They looked at each other.

“Is that Mom?”

They followed the sound until it led them to a completely unfamiliar house. They knocked, asked if their mother was there, and watched in amazement as Stephanie appeared from inside.

“How did you find me?” she asked.

Their answer was simple:

“By your laugh. We followed your laugh.”

That was Stephanie.

She could be complicated. She could be stubborn. She could be sensitive and deeply hurt when she felt that the love she gave was not being returned. But she was also incredibly sweet, generous, funny, creative, and full of love.

She was the mother who could ask Sabrina first thing in the morning, “What are you going to cook for dinner?” even though Sabrina had barely opened her eyes and had absolutely no idea what she was having for breakfast.

She was the grandmother who loved feeding her grandchildren so much that some of them practically refused to eat unless Grandma made it. She had eight grandchildren and six step-grandchildren, and she loved spoiling them with food, affection, and anything else she thought might make them happy.

Stephanie also served in the United States Army. Among the memories she carried from that chapter of her life was attending boot camp alongside Brian. She used to joke about having to do sit-ups for every letter that arrived addressed to her as “Henman”—one of the many stories that became part of the colorful history of her life.

Later, Stephanie found another lasting love with Anthony Frederick Cook. They had been together since July 4, 2004, a date they continued to celebrate as their anniversary. They married on Anthony’s birthday, October 23—the same birthday Stephanie’s first husband, Brian, shared. Anthony was a devoted husband who cared for Stephanie, stood beside her, and loved her deeply.

Stephanie spent her life overcoming obstacles and fighting battles, often carrying more guilt and pain than the people around her could see. She was so much more than those battles. She was a woman who kept creating, kept giving, kept cooking, kept loving, and kept finding ways to make something beautiful out of whatever life handed her.

She leaves behind her husband, Anthony Frederick Cook; her children, Sabrina and Jayson whose also her first grandson who was more like her son in a sense; her eight grandchildren and six step-grandchildren; her stepdaughter, Kara; her mother, Dodie; her stepfather, Richard; her sister, Cinnamon; and the many family members and friends whose lives she touched.

Stephanie leaves behind more than memories. She leaves behind recipes, traditions, stories, laughter, creativity, generosity, and lessons that will continue through the generations she helped shape.

And somewhere beyond this life, she is no longer carrying the weight of every battle she fought here.

She is with Brian.

She is with her son Stephen.

And perhaps, after a lifetime of searching for a place where she truly belonged, Stephanie has finally found home.

We love you, Mom. We will carry you with us forever.