Donald A. Hendrixson

Donald A. Hendrixson

Devoted father of Tracy (Erik) Martinov, Justin (Carla) Hendrixson; Loving son of the late Roy and Mary Hendrixson; Dear brother of the late Shirley, Audrey, MaryAnn and Carol; Adored grandpa of Oliver, Eloise and Sonny; Eileen the mother of children, Dear uncle to many nieces and nephews.

Don grew up in Chicago, IL with Roy and Mary as parents, which he described as wonderful. Being the only boy among four sisters naturally taught him the art of gentleness, patience, and the wisdom to just go along with things. 

Don was a veteran of the U.S. Army, serving three years during the Korean War as a crane shovel operator. After his service, he spent over 30 years working as an electrician, a profession perfectly suited to a man who ensured absolutely everything he did was precise, orderly, and completely organized.

Don’s most defining trait though was his quiet generosity and thoughtfulness. He spent his life helping people entirely behind the scenes, never asking for credit, applause, or attention. He acted solely out of love and desire to surprise others. Words really can't do his generous spirit justice, but if you were lucky enough to be close to him, you felt it every day.

He was a phenomenal dad to Justin and Tracy, and he maintained a beautiful, admirable 40-year friendship with Eileen, his former wife and the mother of his children. To his grandchildren, Oliver, Eloise, and Sonny, when asked how to describe him, he was simply a “dream come true” and a “cool dude.” They knew him as a master of word searches, a companion for family dinners, and the man who made Christmas magical. Don absolutely adored the holidays, showering his family with an absurd amount of presents from the time they were children well into their adulthood. 

He held a deep appreciation for the simple things in life and refused to touch a cell phone, use GPS, or shop online. He found joy in history, National Geographic, jazz music, and watching the Bears. Don loved nature, taking long walks, and pointing out wildlife. Right up until he turned 91, he operated a daily "backyard bistro" from his apartment patio, feeding every local squirrel, bunny, duck, and bird that stopped by…and there were a lot of them. He happily shared this ritual with his grandchildren, who were equally thrilled to feed his animal friends.

We envision him somewhere peaceful right now, enjoying a beautiful nature walk, feeding the animals, adding one extra shake of salt to his meal, and indulging in a massive plate of brownies, cookies, and ice cream. 

Dad, Grandpa, Don, Donnie, we love you!

Please omit flowers.