Almeta Henry (Photo by John Schreiber, The Daily Campus)

For some students, Almeta Temenia Clemons Henry may be one of the first people they see each day.

Her “Hey, how are you sweetie?” greeting may be the first voice they hear as they make their way to breakfast.

Henry is the cashier at the Umphrey Lee cafeteria from 6:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m., and for many students her presence is a bright spot in the day.

“I’ve never really seen her in a bad mood,” senior business student Chris Coleman said. “That’s nice when you’re not having a good day.”

What Coleman and others may not know, though, is that Henry is a breast cancer survivor. She is a devout Christian.  She is a mother of four and a grandmother of six.

Henry, 62, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1998. That same year, her oldest sister passed away. 

Henry said she turned to her family and faith to get through the hard times. She said she leaned on her younger sister, Mary, who is also a Christian.

“And you know when you’re Christian, you’re just strong,” Henry said. 

Henry has worked for SMU for more than 33 years. She started out working in the law school as a supervisor, signing time cards and helping employees. Looking for a change, she transferred to the cafeteria to work as a cook in the mid-1980s, she said.

After undergoing successful chemo and radiation therapy in 1999, Henry said she began working as a cashier in the cafeteria.  

Henry said that after work she focuses mostly on activities at her church, the Beckley Heights Church of Christ in Oak Cliff.  She teaches a Bible class on Wednesday nights and watches over children in the nursery.

“I help them and let them get to know God and the Bible,” she said.

Henry said life in Dallas is very different from the small town of Caldwell, Texas, where she was born and raised.

“I’d rather live in a small town, because in a big city there’s pollution, crime, and in a small town you get to know everybody,” she said.

Henry, who is one of 10 children, said she moved to Dallas to be closer to her family.

SMU senior Melissa Chee said she used to eat in the cafeteria and remembers Henry’s upbeat attitude.

“She was no nice and friendly,” Chee said. “Just really inviting.”

Henry said that even after facing breast cancer, she has the same outlook on life as she did before she was diagnosed. And she said she’s especially glad she’s working around young people.

“The students keep me alive because they make me happy,” she said. “Old people just complain all the time.”