John and Ouida Henson met while at Kilgore Jr. College in Kilgore, Texas. They were married January 22, 1966 and now live in the small community of Joinerville, Texas, John's boyhood home, which is also home to the East Texas oil field discovery well. They have one son Kevin, his wife Christy and twin granddaughters Emily and Melissa who live in Hereford, Texas.

John's family has always been involved with Scouting and not long after the Volunteer Training Center opened at Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico his dad decided to take a training course. With that first trip to Philmont, a long association began for John. His parents applied for and were hired to work at the VTC in the summer of 1954. John worked there each summer through 1963, and the summer he and Ouida married they both worked there. John's involvement with the ranch continues today through the Philmont Staff Association where he serves on the scholarship selection committee of the Executive Board.

John attended Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. He then worked as a District Scout Executive for the Boy Scouts of America. While serving in this capacity, his district had substantial membership growth and added over 20 new units. In 1969, John accepted a job with LTV Aerospace, working in production control, a job he held until 1981 when he returned to SFA graduating the same year with a BS in Sociology and a minor in Psychology. At that time he was hired by Republic Bank Henderson to work in the operations area of the bank. After working in operations, purchasing and personnel, John moved to the lending area of the bank as a loan officer. In 1991 he went to work for Citizens National Bank of Henderson as manager of their Overton, Texas branch and has since managed their South Side and South 79 branches Currently his responsibility is to develop prospect contact lists for the bank's calling program.

John has been chairman of the Rusk County Chapter of the American Heart Association, chairman of the Rusk County Youth Project Show, actively supports the Cancer Relay for Life program, and has been a Cub Master, Scout Master, Post Advisor, District Chairman and Executive Board Member of the East Texas Area Council, BSA. John and Ouida are members of the First United Methodist Church in Henderson where she is the Organist and where he has served in most areas of the church administration, sung in the choir and rung hand bells.

A Rotarian since 1982, John is a member of the Rotary Club of Henderson and a past member of the Rotary Club of Overton. He has held all offices including the presidency of both clubs, has been selected Rotarian of the Year twice, has twenty two years perfect attendance, and is serving his third year as Assistant Governor. John and Ouida are Paul Harris Fellows, Sustaining Members and Benefactors