Joseph Edward Hendrickson

1937 – 2022

Joseph Edward Hendrickson, aka Joe, Joe Cool, and José, escaped this mortal realm at the age of 84 in Monterey, California on February 8, 2022, leaving in his wake a legacy of intelligence, impeccable standards and laughter. His home was in Carmel. (He once dubbed himself “José, The Germinator,” when he filed the paperwork, as did hundreds of others, to run for Governor of California during the 2003 recall of Governor Gray Davis; an election that Arnold Schwarzenegger, “The Terminator,” won.)

Joe was born in York, Pennsylvania, to James and Pauline Hendrickson, in 1937. He graduated as an Electrical Engineer from Penn State University in 1959. As a member of the Chi Phi Fraternity, he arranged for The Kingston Trio to stay at his fraternity house. He had an extensive career in the aerospace industry, having worked at Bendix, Teledyne and TRW on the Apollo Program. His greatest moment was during the Apollo 11 mission, in 1969, which put the first man on the moon. The astronauts set up the Apollo Lunar Surface Experiments Package [ALSEP] containing the radar antenna which he had helped to design. After the shutdown of the space program, he was employed at IBM and Hughes in California. He retired in 1993.

Joe savored an aged single malt Scotch on the rocks or a glass of red wine. “A glass of red wine a day is good for one’s health,” he would sometimes say, then take out an enormous wine glass that could fit a bottleful. In recent years, a favorite way to the spend the evening was with a glass of Heller Estate Cachagua Cabernet Sauvignon listening to the classical guitarist in the firelit lounge of the Cypress Inn. He took pleasure in listening—in Dolby Stereo—to a guitar sonata played by Segovia, a Bach toccata performed by Glenn Gould, or “Tom Dooley” sung by The Kingston Trio. In short, his tastes agreed with those of someone he admired, Sir Winston Churchill, of whom Lord Birkenhead remarked, “Mr. Churchill is easily satisfied with the best.”

As a young family man, Joe played the guitar and led singalongs. At neighborhood holiday parties, leading “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” his repeat refrain of “five golden rings,” prolonged and at the top of his lungs, became an ear-shattering tradition. Even during his final year, in his illness, he could sing from memory an electric chorus of Bob Dylan’s “Subterranean Homesick Blues.”

Some of his other interests were history, painting, camping and fly fishing. He tied his own flies, including the Hendrickson fly, the dark and the light, and was proud to be a descendant of the Hendrickson for which it was named. Hying up and down the Pacific Coast in his sports cars was fun for him. He used his engineering style to perfectly broil salmon, lining up each piece just so. An outstanding gamesman, he was an accomplished opponent in chess, darts, Scrabble and Risk. In the 1970s and ‘80s, he sailed and raced a Cyclone and took a turn as Commodore of the Westlake Yacht Club. He also liked discussing politics—from his point of view.

At his best in an emergency, Joe once saved a young boy from drowning. During his final illness, Joe flashed with courage, a will to live, and his fighting spirit, stating, “I’m not ready to give up the ship.”

Joe enjoyed being with the Hendrickson clan at Amelia Island Plantation in Florida. Other travels he enjoyed were sampling regional wines on a cruise of the Mosel River in Germany, and seeing the Rome of history books. He was happy to call the town of San Simeon his home for many years. From his townhouse, he could watch the zebras follow the sun across the hills of the neighboring Hearst Ranch.

He loved to laugh, watching a Marx Brothers movie on the late show. He also loved seeing, over the years, like a good friend, his favorite film Casablanca.

Joseph loved his family. He joins in eternity his brother James and sister Phyllis. He is survived by his wife, Joan; his children Jennie, Jackie and James; his brother Dan and extended family.

Plans for a memorial ceremony are yet to be determined.