Gertrude E. Hendricks

Gertrude Ellen (Smith) Hendricks was born March 17, 1925 on her parent’s farm in Canoe Township, rural Decorah, IA, the daughter of Horace S. and Ella M. (Korsen) Smith. Gertrude was united in marriage to John A. Hendricks on September 1, 1946 at Decorah Lutheran Church in Decorah. This union was blessed with three sons: Horace (Ace), Jeff, and Jerry. Gertrude spent the first few years of her life on the farm where she was born, north of Decorah. She spent many days playing with her two closest friends: her brother, Howard and lifelong “hearing” friend, Dorothy Hanson Phipps. At the age of seven she began the trek each fall, the first few with her mother, to Council Bluffs, IA to attend the Iowa School for the Deaf. As she got older she traveled back and forth by train by herself. She spent nine months each year at the school learning skills: becoming proficient in sign language and forming many lifelong close friendships including that of her future husband, John Hendricks. Gertie received Certificates of Honor at the Iowa School for the Deaf for outstanding performance in various areas including binding and sewing. She graduated from the Iowa School for the Deaf in 1944. She enjoyed doing needlepoint, crocheting, knitting and sewing throughout life, making many beautiful items for friends and family. Her excellent sewing skills made her a big asset to the Bob Allen Textile Industries where she worked 20 years until retiring in 1988. Gertie was a gymnast and played basketball. Every day she would do head stands and cartwheels, well into her ‘70’s. Her doctor had to tell her to stop when she required shoulder surgery. She loved riding her bicycle and throughout her life went for long walks with her dog Tippy. Over a forty five year period she had three different “Tippys”, all Boston Terriers, whom she loved dearly. When Gertrude’s three children were young, she would read books “out loud” to them – an amazing feat for a nonspeaking deaf person. Gardening was one of Gertie’s favorite pastimes every spring. She planted flowers surrounding her home and spent many hours tending her plants. Over the 46 years of marriage to John, they collected 364 pheasant items, John’s favorite birds. She loved filling her bird feeders outside her home and watching birds. She would often ask “What does ‘that’ sound like?”, including birds, a question difficult to answer. We would walk into their home and find Gertie and John doing jigsaw puzzles or cracking hickory nuts for one of her many kinds of home baked pies, treasured by family members. They also loved to travel, including a trip to Hawaii in 1980. Gertie loved visiting her family’s century farm to walk in the woods and see the spring water. Her father, Horace, purchased the farm in 1897. She often drove herself to Decorah from Des Moines to visit her dear friend and brother, Howard on the farm. She brought his favorite home baked pies to enjoy. Gertie visited her son, Jeff, stationed overseas with the U.S. Air Force. She traveled once to Japan (1995) alone and twice to Germany (1997 and 1998), one time alone. She had no fears traveling worldwide as a deaf person. Her courage and adventuresome spirit were amazing. Gertie was very involved with her church, Calvary Lutheran for the Deaf, and attended and held Bible Study in her home and many potlucks at the church. Her church activities played a vital and central role in her life. She was the first Secretary-Treasurer of LWML in 1951. Gertrude’s beautiful and constant smile brought happiness and brightness to everyone she encountered. We will miss her dearly. Gertrude died on Saturday, March 12, 2011 at Patty Elwood Center in Cresco, IA. The family extends a special thank you to the Patty Elwood Center staff for providing loving care for the last 20 ½ months of Gertrude’s life. Gertrude was preceded in death by her parents: Horace S. and Ella Smith; her son, Jerry A. Hendricks; and her brother, Howard C. Smith. Gertrude is survived by her two sons: Horace (Ace) Hendricks and his wife, Judy of Ackworth, IA and Jeff Hendricks and his wife, Shelley of Ridgeway, IA; two grandchildren: Horace S. (Ace) Hendricks II of Decorah, IA and Amber Renee Hendricks of Ridgeway, IA; three great grandchildren: Scotty, Jackson, and Pacen Hendricks; husband, Lawrence Buchholz of Des Moines, IA and his family. Memorial contribution may be made to her church, Calvary Lutheran Church for the Deaf. A private family memorial service will be held at a later date.