Dorothy was born in Marshall, Missouri on November 1, 1931. She was one of three children born to Harold H. and Ruth E. (Davis) Schanz. She graduated from Hughesville High School in 1948. Later she graduated from Central Missouri State College in Warrensburg, Missouri in June of 1952 where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Education with a major in music. Dorothy lived with her parents on their farm in Hughesville, Missouri until she graduated from college. At that time she accepted a teaching position in Dufur, Oregon and moved there in August of 1952 where she met Wilbur J. Hendricks.
On June 3, 1953 she married Wilbur in Dufur, Oregon. Four children were born to this union, Ladorna A. Hendricks, James W. Hendricks, Julie R. Hendricks, and John L. Hendricks.
After the end of the 1953 school year Dorothy stopped teaching in order to help her husband in the operation of their wheat and cattle ranch, and most importantly raise her 4 children. The family lived on the ranch until 1982 when they sold it and retired to Sunriver, Oregon. In 2002, Dorothy and Wilbur moved to Camas, Washington to be close to their children.
In 2004 her husband Wilbur passed away. She continued to live in Camas and on November 5, 2005 she married Robert E. Smith.
Dorothy was preceded in death by her first husband, Wilbur J. Hendricks; her parents; and her brother, J. Leo Schanz.
She is survived by two sons, James W. Hendricks (Linda) and John L. Hendricks (Dawn); two daughters, Ladorna A. Snyder (Donn) and Julie R. Pattison; sister, Wilma Rhoads; nine grandchildren, Lindsay Kinzer, Cameron Caulfield, Kyle Pattison, Jeffrey Hendricks, Blake Hendricks, Parker Hendricks, Taylor Hendricks, Della Terrill, and Soluna Terrill; one great granddaughter, Ellery Kinzer; and her husband, Robert E. Smith.
