Henrene Love peacefully passed away at 88 years old on Monday, February 23, 2026, while at home in the care of loved ones. Born on October 14, 1937, in Greenwood, Mississippi, to parents John and Henrietta Day, Henrene was one of thirteen siblings. During the 1960s she decided to make a move up north and established herself in South Bend, Indiana. 

She had a successful career in environmental services, but she was most recognized for being a devoted foster parent, a role she embraced with an open heart. She regarded her role in her foster children’s lives as her most cherished achievement, which she did for over four decades until retiring in the 2010s. While raising her eleven children, she established family values as the central tenet of the household. A treasured matriarch and constant presence, she had a profound impact on the lives of her twenty-four grandchildren and her abundance of great grandchildren.

Henrene is left to be cherished by her younger sister, Gertrude Love (Day), and her nine children; Margaret (Harold) Brazier, Michael, and Carl Markham, Jacqulin Davis (Markham), Leonard, Charles aka Deon, Lekeno, Angelic, and Sharquida Markham, as well as special nieces Sharon Houghton (Love) and Karen and Theresa Love, and a host of other close family and friends. 

She is preceded in death by her parents, beloved husband, James Love, eleven siblings, and sons, Udell and Emmanuel Markham. She enjoyed being surrounded by family and friends, was a lover of music, and was always up for a trip to the casino. She was well known to spread love and joy through her home cooked meals. Henrene will be remembered as a selfless beacon to her family, leaving behind a legacy of unwavering faith and benevolence.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to Comfort 1 Hospice of Mishawaka, Indiana. 

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