Mahala Bernice Whitehurst was the daughter of James Edward Whitehurst and his wife, Mahala Bruce. She was born in what was then Princess Anne County, Virginia (now city of Virginia Beach). She was married to Grandy Shipp Henley on June 13, 1925 in Princess Anne County, Virginia.

Obituary:
" Paper: Virginian-Pilot, The (Norfolk, VA); Section: LOCAL; Page: B6
Deceased: BERNICE W. HENLEY; Date: September 13, 1997
Bernice Whitehurst Henley, 91, of the 3400 block of Charity Neck Road, died Sept. 11, 1997, in a local hospital.
Born in Princess Anne County, Va., she was the widow of Grandy S. Henley and had retired from the office of the Virginia Beach Commissioner of the Revenue. She was a member of the Charity United Methodist Church, where she participated in the United Methodist Women. During the 1920's, Mrs. Henley taught at the Little Island School in Princess Anne County.
Survivors include her sons, G. Winston ''Winky'' Henley and his wife, Barbara; a sister, Verna Harrell; two grandsons, Jeff Henley and his wife, Stormie, and Bruce Henley, all of Virginia Beach.
A graveside service will be conducted at 2 p.m. Sunday in Charity Cemetery by the Rev. Tommy Markham. The family will be at 3513 Charity Neck Road, Virginia Beach. Hollomon-Brown Funeral Home, Great Neck Chapel, is in charge. "

New information added June 17, 2012:
Princess Anne County, Virginia marriage records show the following -
"Married June 13, 1925 - Grandy Shipp Henley, single, and Bernice Mahalah Whitehurst, single - Grandy Shipp Henley, age 21, born in and residing in Princess Anne County, Virginia, occupation Farmer, son of G.G. Henley and his wife, Clara - Bernice Mahalah Whitehurst, age 19, born in Princess Anne County, Virginia and residing in Back Bay [Princess Anne County], Virginia, daughter of J.E. and his wife, Mahalah"