Helen Hendrix

Helen Marie Hendrix (Miller), age 96, was born in Humboldt, Kansas on July 30, 1925, and died in Wichita, Kansas on June 3, 2022.

Helen grew up in several small rural towns in Kansas, Oklahoma, and Illinois.  She attended LaRose Community High School in LaRose, Illinois and was Valedictorian of her class in 1943. While in Illinois, Helen worked as a telephone operator, administrative assistant, bookkeeper, and social correspondent for three local newspapers.  Helen then moved to Texas to be near her family.  While in Texas, Helen worked as a bookkeeper at the Texas Livestock Exchange in Ft. Worth.  Helen met William Earle Hendrix, Jr. in Ft. Worth at an Adult Sunday School class and the two were married on April 8, 1950, on Easter weekend at First Presbyterian Church in Ft. Worth.

One of Helen’s biggest challenges and greatest accomplishments was raising a family during the post-WWII years.  Helen was always very proud and supportive of her husband’s military career in the United States Air Force.

Helen loved to spend time with her friends and often hosted gatherings of the Presbyterian Women at her home.  She enjoyed baking chocolate cream, blueberry, and lemon meringue pies for family and friends.  Helen also enjoyed making potato salad, ham spread, chicken tetrazzini, and tapioca for her family.

Genealogy was a favorite pastime for Helen.  She spent countless hours researching her family history and eventually compiled numerous volumes of ancestral records.  Helen loved daffodils, Texas bluebonnets, and all the beautiful peonies in Kansas and Nebraska.  She loved to sew and knit.  She also enjoyed sight-seeing and outlet shopping while traveling across the country with her husband.

Helen was a member of the Presbyterian Church (USA) and served as Sunday School teacher, Youth Club leader, Communicant Class teacher, Superintendent of Christian Education, Worship Committee leader, and Elder of the church.  She was very proud to have been ordained as one of the first female Elders at First Presbyterian Church in Bellevue, Nebraska.  She also served in various capacities at Missouri River Valley Presbytery in Nebraska and attended the General Assembly meeting of the Presbyterian Church in 1971.

Most importantly, Helen was a loving daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She is survived by her children William Hendrix (Susan), Robert Hendrix (Anna), and Susan Schainost (Scott).  She was blessed with nine grandchildren; Ryan, Scott, Lauren, Sara, Caitlin, Allison, Kristen, Adam, and Tessa, and nine beloved great-grandchildren; Natalie, Sydney, Will, Henley, Henry, Rowan, Ella, Tessa, and Eli.

Helen found great comfort in a quotation she kept in her genealogy notes, “Those we love don’t go away, they walk beside us every day, unseen, unheard, but always near, still loved, still missed, and very dear.”  Until the very end, Helen reminded us all, “It was a good life. : )”