Helen Hendrickson

Helen “Penny” Hendrickson passed away peacefully with her husband, Dan, at her side on Tuesday, January 16, 2007, 61 years of age, from complications during a courageous battle with Multiple Myeloma, at Texas NeuroRehab Center in Austin, Texas. Penny was born in Newark, New Jersey on August 19, 1945 and was the beautiful adopted daughter of William and Helen Piercy of Ridgewood, New Jersey. Throughout her childhood she traveled extensively with her parents. They visited many places, including South America, Cuba, Morocco, and Monaco. She graduated in 1963 from Ridgewood High School, Ridgewood, New Jersey; attended William Woods College, Fulton, Missouri; in 1966 received a Medical Assistant Degree from the Eastern School for Physicians’ Aides in New York City, New York; and upon completion served honorably in the U.S. Navy for a short time. On September 30, 1967, she married her true love Daniel Edward Hendrickson from Portville, New York; who was serving in the U.S. Air Force. They had two children – Marc and Melissa. As a military family they were able to visit and appreciate many interesting places around the U.S. and Europe. While they lived in England for 9 years, Penny and her family went on holidays to such places as Sweden, Germany, France, Holland, Spain, and Scotland, besides extensive sightseeing in England itself. Penny was involved in many organizations, both with the military and English communities; for which she was formally recognized upon the family’s departure from England. On one occasion she was invited to attend the opening of a children’s hospital in London where she was asked to be in the receiving line to meet Her Royal Highness, Queen Elizabeth II of England. Upon returning from England Penny lived the last 17 years in South Austin, where she was employed by H.E.B. on South Congress as a Food “Meal Deal” Product Demonstrator. She was a parishioner of St. Ignatius, Martyr, Catholic Church in Austin, Texas. Penny especially enjoyed taking cruises with her family and day trips to Louisiana to play the slots. Penny is survived by her devoted husband of 39 years – Dan; one son – Marc Edward Hendrickson of Austin, Texas; and one daughter – Melissa Marie (Troy) Fontenot of Houston, Texas; two grandchildren – Andrew and Brittany Fontenot; and several brothers and sisters-in-law. Visitation will be held on Monday, January 22, 2007, 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm at Wilke-Clay-Fish Funeral Home, 2620 South Congress, Austin, Texas. Funeral Mass will be held on Tuesday, January 23, 2007 at 10:00 am at St. Ignatius, Martyr, Catholic Church 126 W. Oltorf Street, Austin, Texas. In lieu of flowers the family asks for donations to be made in Penny’s name to either M.D. Anderson Cancer Center – Lymphoma and Myeloma Center 1-800-525-5841, www.mdanderson.org/department/development - or the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation at MMRF, 383 Main Street 5th Floor, Norwalk, Connecticut 06851, www.multiplemyeloma.org. Memorials and guestbook online at wcfish.com