J Kirk Hendricks

his loving family. Kirk was born and grew up in Hartford, CT. In high school, on a family car trip to

California through Colorado, he developed a life long love affair with the spectacular views, the weather, the climate and the geology of the Rocky Mountains. It was no surprise that he entered the University of Colorado in 1958 and received his Bachelor of Science in 1963.

Kirk returned to Hartford just long enough to earn an MA in Education from the University of Hartford and

to meet his future wife, Janet Bee Powell. After marrying in 1964, the new couple promptly moved back to Boulder to start their life together.

Kirk began his teaching career in the fall of 1964 as an Earth Sciences teacher at Southern Hills Junior High School. A natural teacher, he enthusiastically and creatively shared his knowledge and fascination of nature. He never ceased to impart his wonder and knowledge of the universe to any open ears. After teaching for two years, Kirk became intrigued by construction and built his first home in 1967 in the Pine Brook Hills subdivision. Combining his passion for geology, earth sciences and especially the art of dynamite, Kirk enjoyed the many challenges of mountain building. He eventually left teaching and became a master craftsman and homebuilder. He was a “do it yourself” builder and became an expert in each of the trades involved in home building, including heating, plumbing, electrical wiring, dry wall, concrete applications, roofing, and architectural design. Kirk built more than 60 beautiful homes over a 50year career in several Boulder subdivisions but building in Pine Brook was always his favorite. He was well respected throughout the building community and became increasingly more active in real estate around Boulder over the years.

Among the earliest homeowners in Pine Brook Hills, Kirk became heavily involved in developing the subdivision’s roads and water system in the 1960’s and 70’s. He volunteered with the Pine Brook Hills Fire Department and the Pine Brook Water District for many years. As President of the Water Board, he was especially proud of the creation of the Pine Brook Dam and reservoir for water storage.

Kirk took his fashion cues from no one - he preferred old clothes any day of the week! Dressed in his signature baseball cap, khaki construction slacks, long sleeved plaid shirts, and always with a dog by his side, he was a familiar and friendly face in the community.

Due to his keen intellect and boyish curiosity, Kirk believed that rules were made to be broken (or at least bent), which led him to seek his own answers rather than accept the word of others. He shared a kinship with inanimate objects from tools to autos to solar energy systems. He loved country music, especially Johnny Cash and Patsy Cline, but also classical artists like Pavarotti and Sarah Brightman. Kirk was fascinated with the technology of Google Earth and travelled the globe from the comfort of his own desk. The words “awesome” and “majestic” describe his reactions to naturals events such as lightning and thunder, rain storms moving across the valley, thick fog creeping into the hillsides, rainbows, sunrises and sunsets, the stars and planets, and the first pasque flower of Spring. He loved peanut butter, hamburgers, macaroni and cheese, corn starch pudding and chocolate cake. Kirk hated vegetables in any form, except for ketchup! For sure he has an honorary seat at the Gondolier, Lucky’s Café, and the Parkway.

Kirk excelled at living within his means, outsmarting wood peckers and pigeons. His beloved backhoe, truck and snowplow were always a part of his productive world. He loved to use his remote to flip between watching Steve Harvey, Two and a Half Men, Law and Order and anything on The Discovery Channel as well as the Boston Pops and the Philharmonic. Kirk had an affinity for trains and cherished Amtrak trips and weekend getaways on the Zephyr to Glenwood Springs. More recently, he became enamored with the wild beauty of Alaska and finally realized a long time dream of visiting the Panama Canal in 2012 with his entire family.

Kirk was a loving Father and provider to his three children, Elise, Cary & Meg. All three still live in the

Boulder/Denver area and were very close to Kirk. His many friends and acquaintances appreciated Kirk’s tender heart and generosity. Kirk is survived by his wife, Jan; daughters Elise and Meg and her partner Scott; son Cary and his wife Amber; grandchildren Cole & Luke; and step-grandchildren Alana and Brock Maness as well as his sister, Carol Perrin and her husband Ed.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent to the Flatirons Habitat for Humanity or the

Boulder Mountain Fire Protection District.

A Celebration of Life will be held on June 1, 2016 from 5:45-8:30pm at the Koenig Alumni Center on the University of Colorado campus - 1202 University Avenue.

Condolences may be left for the family at www.howemortuary.com