Harry W. Hendricks
Passed Away Jul 23, 2022

Harry W. Hendricks
BM 1947-49

Harry William Hendricks was born Aug. 13, 1928, in Yakima, WA, to Alfred Griffith Hendricks and Estella Mae Pearl Hendricks. Harry passed away July 23, 2022, in Vancouver, Washington after a short illness.

Harry grew up in the “big house” on South Second Avenue close to downtown Yakima. Harry's father Alfred was a Union Pacific Railroad brakeman who had worked throughout the West. As a child, Harry took many trips with his dad in the cab of a steam engine, caboose, or a passenger car.

In 1937 Harry's dad suffered a career ending on the job injury. With the country in the Great Depression, the family lost almost everything. They moved five times in Washington, Oregon, and California until settling in Vancouver in 1942.

World War Two brought dramatic changes to Harry's life. At age 15, Harry began attending Ogden Meadows High School while working nights in the Vancouver Kaiser Shipyards. At 17 he was an all-star athlete playing football and other sports. For two summers during high school, Harry worked for the State of Oregon Forestry Department near Roseburg, Oregon fighting forest fires as most men were away serving in the military. During his high school years, he also worked as a US Postal Service mail carrier and for the US Army at Vancouver Barracks repairing Jeeps and other Army vehicles.

In 1945, World War Two was coming to a climax. Twice attempting to get into the US Navy underage, Harry enlisted at age 17 to see the world. He got his wish as a boatswain mate and plank owner aboard the USS Lloyd Thomas DD 764. With Harry aboard, the Lloyd Thomas circled the globe in 1946-47, stopping in nine countries. His Navy experience was a seminal event in Harry's life. He was enormously proud of his service and the experience fueled a lifelong desire for travel.

While home on leave, Harry met the love of his life, a Meadows High School classmate named Ramona Baxter. They were brought together by a mutual friend, Alyce (Dahl) Mattox. They were married Oct. 28, 1950, at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Vancouver. Alyce was Ramona's maid of honor, and her husband Bill was Harry's best man. The couples remained best friends for life. Ramona confessed much later that she “wasn't impressed” with Harry in high school! In 1949 Harry returned from Navy service and followed in his father's footsteps as a railroader. After a year with the Union Pacific Railroad, in 1950 Harry was hired by the “Northwest's Own,” the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railroad which later became the Burlington Northern Railroad. He would work for the next 43 years as a brakeman and conductor. For much of his career, Harry worked freight service up the Columbia River Gorge to Wishram, WA. On occasion, he worked on passenger trains between Portland and Spokane. A natural leader, Harry took considerable pride in being a skilled and respected railroader. He was a strong union man and served for several years as a union officer in the local chapter.

Harry and Ramona spent their first years of marriage living in war housing in Vancouver's McLoughlin Heights. In 1957 they bought five acres of land near Ellsworth Road. Clearing much of it by hand, their first home was finished there in 1959. In 1964, they purchased a new lot nearby where Harry helped build their second family home. Harry and Ramona would raise their sons Greg and Eric in that house and would remain there for 53 years. They took enormous pride in their immaculately kept home and it was the center for family gatherings for years. The back yard pool was a favorite for the growing family, in later years especially for the four grandchildren.

Away from work, Harry enjoyed a number of pursuits. He was an excellent carpenter and helped build several homes in the neighborhood. With a large shop, he built cabinets and desks for their home. Enjoying working with kids, he was a well-liked and respected scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 483 in the late 1960's. Harry later attended Scout Wood Badge training for adult leaders and was invited to return as an instructor. A longtime member of the Elks, he belonged to Vancouver Elks Lodge 823 and had many friends there.

Harry gained a love of the outdoors from his time working in southern Oregon as a firefighter. He took the family hiking and camping in the woods around western Washington. Admittedly, Ramona was never a fan of tent camping and smoky fires! An avid hunter, he sought the elusive elk for more than forty years on Bethel Ridge near White Pass, Washington with close friends and grandson Nathan. After retirement, he enjoyed trout fishing trips in the Cascades with old friends from work.

Always loving to travel, Harry took his family on road trips across the West and Canada in the 1960's and early 1970's. Together they flew to Europe to see son Eric, daughter in law Nikki and newborn granddaughter Erin. Annual winter trips with the extended family to Bend and a 60th wedding anniversary trip to Hawaii were memorable. After retirement, Harry and Ramona traveled widely and visited the country from coast to coast in their RV. On other jaunts, Harry and his son Eric traveled extensively during the summer across the western United States and Canada. A proud railroad veteran, Harry particularly enjoyed the 2019 road trip to the 150th anniversary of the Golden Spike in Utah with sons Greg and Eric.

Forty years after his Naval service ended, Harry and Ramona began to attend reunions across the country with shipmates from the USS Lloyd Thomas. They made long friendships with shipmates and their spouses from the reunions. They took particular pride in hosting the 1996 ship's reunion in Portland.

After more than 50 years in their home, Harry and Ramona moved to The Bedford Retirement Community. They enjoyed spending time with the growing family at birthday parties, holidays and Sunday dinners with their sons, daughters-in-law, four grandchildren, and later their six great-grandchildren. Following Ramona's passing in December 2020, Harry lived with his son Greg and daughter-in-law Janette until moving to The Quarry Retirement Community earlier this year. Always loving a night out, Harry enjoyed dinners and laughter with granddaughters, Kelsey and Kate. He had nicknamed them “Heckle and Jeckle” as kids.

Harry was a loving husband to Ramona, his wife of 70 years. He was a strong role model to his sons and family with a tireless work ethic on the job and at home. He relentlessly encouraged his sons to gain their education and followed their careers closely. He took immense pride in the accomplishments of his family and loved them deeply. His grandchildren loved his tremendous sense of humor, encouragement, and unconditional love.

Harry was preceded in death by his wife, Ramona; his parents; his sisters, Margaret, Ella, Louvina; and brothers, Alfred and James. He is survived by his sons, Greg (Janette) Hendricks, Eric (Nikki) Hendricks; grandchildren, Nathan (Saryna) Hendricks, Kelsey Hendricks, Erin (Tyson) Reed, Katherine (Mark) Hawley; and great-grandchildren, William, Waylon, Wyatt, Bennett, Emerson, and Sawyer.

The family thanks the staff at the Quarry, The Vancouver Clinic, Peacehealth Southwest Washington Medical Center and Legacy Salmon Creek Medical Center for their care and support.

At Harry's request, there was no service. But there was at his request a gathering of friends, family, co-workers, and colleagues to share laughter, fond memories, and stories, to listen to Big Band and Dixieland music, while enjoying great food and drink. Harry had said recently that he “led a great life filled with adventure.” His family was fortunate to have him in their lives for so long.

Published by The Columbian on Aug. 21, 2022.