Doris Hendrickson
Jan 26, 1934 -
Oct 13, 2024
Doris Pearl Hendrickson was lifted up in the arms of angels during the wee hours of Sunday, Oct. 13, 2024, at the age of 90. She was born on Jan. 26, 1934, in the little town of Crook, Colo., to Mildred and Harold Robertson. Harold died in 1936, and Mildred moved with her two young children to Loveland, Colo. Mildred married Robert Herrington in 1945, and he adopted Doris and her brother Wayne, becoming the father of memory for the children. The family lived at the Herrington Ranch below Horsetooth Mountain and Doris attended grade school in the small town of Stout, known for its sandstone quarries. The family relocated to Fort Collins, Colo., when the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation began construction of the Horsetooth Reservoir. By 1949, the sandstone schoolhouse, along with the town of Stout, was submerged in an underwater world. Doris attended Fort Collins High School, graduating in 1952. Her studies included secretarial training and accounting. She was a member of Future Homemakers of America, sang acapella in the church choir, and was employed at the State Dry Goods Store. Doris survived the 1953 polio epidemic thanks to the medical advancements of the time, and became engaged to David Hendrickson, her high school sweetheart. She followed him to Anchorage, Alaska, where they were married on Feb. 17, 1954. Her first employment was at a downtown bank, while David was stationed at Elmendorf AFB. The newlyweds lived in a tiny house in Spenard on Fireweed Lane and welcomed their daughter Rose before their first anniversary. The young family moved to Fairbanks while David was stationed at Eielson AFB and welcomed daughters Patti and Brenda in 1956 & 1957. Upon returning to Anchorage in 1958, Doris went to work for the Department of Labor. By 1959, David and Doris had purchased property with a log cabin in the foothills of the Chugach Mountains and welcomed their fourth daughter Nancy. Doris.
continued to work full time while welcoming three more daughters; Lorna in 1960, Jan in 1961, and Molly in 1962. The family soon outgrew the small cabin, necessitating a big house. Doris was a devoted caregiver and instilled values as she taught her daughters. She was also an accomplished career woman proficient at her duties and highly valued by her employers. Her secretarial skills were sought out as her nimble fingers flew over the keys of her typewriter. She had phenomenal penmanship & her shorthand notes rivaled all others. She worked for the Federal Communication Commission throughout the 1970s, and by the 1980s she was secretary and office manager for the commander of Kulis Air National Guard Base. Throughout the years, she was steadfast in her homemaker duties. Providing wholesome meals, keeping the house in order, and staying up into the wee hours of the morning sewing dresses for her seven girls. She was always smiling and kept a joyful approach to life, no matter the obstacle. She loved music, had a beautiful voice and encouraged her girls to sing and harmonize together. She was instrumental in guiding her daughters through their career choices. Doris retired from secretarial employment in 1994, although she continued to maintain the household budget for another 20 years. She and David moved to Palmer, AK and traveled every year to the Hendrickson Ranch in Cowdrey, Colo. She became gravely ill during the spring of 2015, while at the ranch, and spent three months in the intensive care unit of Ivinson Memorial Hospital (Laramie, WY). Diagnosed with Viral Encephalitis (inflammation of the brain), she fell into a coma and her daughters and husband David took turns keeping vigil by her side. Miraculously, she pulled through, spent a month convalescing at a Loveland nursing facility, and was able to travel home. Upon her return she received additional evaluations, proper medications and physical therapy, however the tragic illness had taken its toll. Her daughters continued their compassionate care, and the years since have provided them an opportunity to reciprocate their mother's unconditional love. Doris had the light of the angels surrounding her. No matter how frail she became she remained happy and knew she was loved. Her husband of nearly 70 years departed this world Sept. 13, 2023, and she waited patiently for the Lord to call her home; 13 months to the day, the call came.
Doris was preceded in death by her parents Mildred Westcott, Harold Robertson and Robert Herrington; brother, Wayne Herrington; nephews, Jay and Kenneth. Herrington; and husband, David Homer Hendrickson. She is survived by her seven daughters, Rose Marie Hendrickson, Patti Lynn Crump, Brenda Beth Kuhn, Nancy Joy Valk, Lorna Joan Hendrickson, Jan Rene' Ferns and Molly Dee Hendrickson; nephews, Alan, Mark and Robert Herrington; grandchildren, Michael, Christopher, Jessica, Erin, Brandon, Arielle, Laura, Ian, Timothy, Susan, Jeffrey, Martin, Sarah, Kaitlyn and Jared; great-grandchildren, Layna, Da Coda, Zach, Bastian, Arianna, Emily, Elaina, Gabriel, Eleanor, Eyrie, Jack, Catherine and Oden; great-great-grandchildren, Skyla, Mira, Ceadar, Briar, Ayla and Vera Pearl. Doris was an amazing woman, wife, and mother. She was an accomplished career woman and devoted caregiver. She left an indelible mark on every life she touched. Although we know heaven has gained a saint, we will miss her so much. She remains in our hearts forever. A celebration of life will be held in her honor spring of 2025, date and location to be announced.
Written by Nancy Joy Valk.
