L. "Don" B. Hendrix
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L.B. Don Hendrix passed away on November 5, 2020, after a life filled with family, love, travel, and golf. The family plans a private graveside service in Wellington, TX, on November 14, 2020. Arrangements are by Adams Funeral Home of Wellington.
Don was born January 29, 1944, to L.B. and Helen Angell Hendrix in Pascagoula, Mississippi.
He lived many different lives during his 76 years. He spent his early life in Beaumont, Port
Arthur, and Nederland, graduating from Nederland High School. He played baseball at Lamar
University, then transferred to Abilene Christian University where he met the love of his life, Peggy Shanks Hendrix. They were married on May 28, 1966. In 1967, he joined the army. He served in Vietnam from 1969-1970 in the US Army RA Air Defense Artillery before returning to the states to his wife and new daughter, Heather. Over the next 6 years, he welcomed a second daughter, Angell, graduated from Abilene Christian University in 1972, attained Captain rank, and continued to serve in the military. His military commendations include the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal with DVC60, National Defense Service Medal, Army Commendation medal, Good Conduct Medal, Vietnam CrossOB Gallantry with Palm, and the Combat Infantryman Badge.
In 1976, the family returned from his station in Germany to Wellington, TX, where Don worked alongside his father-in-law, Cecil Shanks, in farming and ranching while serving in the U.S. Army Reserves. In 1982, he retired from the Reserves as a Major. In the next phase of his life, he worked for the Texas Department of Health and Human Services as a supervisor which eventually led to a move to Amarillo for the family. In 1991, he and Peggy started Hendrix Industries, a commercial janitorial company in Amarillo which they ran until 2016 when they retired to Houston to be closer to their daughters and their families to whom he was known as "Old Dad". He was a member of Fairfield Church of Christ in Cypress, Texas.
Don loved his family and golf and really loved when the two could be combined. He enjoyed guys' trips with his sons-in-law to play courses all over the U.S. and was known to push his younger golfing partners to play 36 holes in a day. He was best known for his inability to clear any water hazard.
He also loved to travel. He and Peggy enjoyed trips to Maine, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Colorado, just to name a few of the places they visited. His trips were filled with golfing with his sons-in-law, tracking down Food Network destinations with Peggy, lobster rolls and lighthouses in Maine with his late brother Charles and sister-in-law Shirlene, and enjoying fly-fishing and sightseeing with Peggy's sister Barbara and her husband Tyrone. For their 50th Anniversary, the extended family enjoyed an Alaskan cruise where he enjoyed a day with his grandsons and sons-in-law catching King Salmon.
Don never met a stranger--or at least, you were not a stranger for long once you met him. He had a natural ability to talk with anyone. He enjoyed learning people's stories and loved to tell his own. His circle of friends and family was ever widening.
"Old Dad" was the most passionate supporter of his grandkids. Road trips often centered around seeing them compete or perform, whether choral, theater, guitar, baseball, basketball, or football. He beamed with pride to see them in their elements. He was always ready to help out as a coach or to assist the officials with a call or to explain the infield fly rule and, on several occasions, got to finish watching a game from the parking lot.
Don was preceded in death by his love and wife of 52 years, Peggy Hendrix, his brother,
Charles Hendrix, his nephew, Larry Hendrix, and his parents. Don is survived by two daughters,
Heather Wright of Lakeway, TX, and Angell Swedlund of Hockley, TX; two sons-in-law, Dirk
Wright and Chris Swedlund; seven grandchildren, Jacob Wright and fiancee Mae Wyler of Chappell Hill, TX, Brandon Wright and Madison Wright, Christopher and Chloe Swedlund, and his bonus granddaughter Liberty Impola of San Marcos, TX.
"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith." (2 Timothy 4:7)
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Peggy Shanks Hendrix
Endowed Scholarship for Education at Abilene Christian University. Online: acu.edu/give -
Designation: Peggy Hendrix Scholarship Endowment or by mail to Gift Records, ACU Box
29132, Abilene, TX 79699 - Designation: Peggy Hendrix Scholarship Endowment