Dr. Harry Wayne Hendrick

Wayne Hendrick was born June 9, 1924, in Lovejoy, Texas, a small community north of Plano, Texas. His was a large family, with seven brothers and sisters. Their parents farmed a small cotton farm and he was known to say "we lived on poverty hill." His mother was determined that all of her children would graduate from high school. Her dream was realized. Although no one in the family had earned a college degree in the past, four of the Hendrick children earned at least a Bachelor's degree. Three of the Hendrick sons, including Dr. Hendrick, served in the military in WWII, and the youngest son served in Korea and Viet Nam. Three of them had begun college before joining the service, and upon completing their tour of duty, all pursued degrees on the G.I. Bill. Dr Hendrick's first cruise in the war was on the Queen Mary, one of 15,000 soldiers on the way to the Normandy Invasion. The survivors felt blessed, he said, and felt a call and a purpose to make their lives count.

He graduated from the University of North Texas (then North Texas State University) in Denton, Texas in 1949, with a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics. In 1950, he earned a Master of Science degree with a mathematics major from UNT, and in 1968, he received a Doctorate of Education with a major in educational administration from UNT. He and his wife Elizabeth, a teacher in Richardson ISD at that time, and son Steve eventually made Plano their home. As a family they were supportive of Dr. Hendrick's distinguished career which began in the Kingsville school district.

Serving in the Kingsville school district for twelve years before returning to North Texas, Dr. Hendrick moved to become the second superintendent of schools in the history of Plano ISD. The sleepy farming community, thirty minutes north of Dallas, had a population of approximately 3,600 with a school enrollment of 1,175. There were three schools in the district. When Dr. Hendrick retired in 1991, the population of Plano had grown to more than 129,000; the school district enrollment had increased to 32,000; and there were thirty-eight schools in the district. During his tenure, Dr. Hendrick conceived and developed the team teaching concept and the senior high school system (grades 11-12). He forged strong relationships with City of Plano officials out of which was born joint community use of school facilities and purchase of land for schools and adjacent parks. He earned many honors throughout the years, including the Plano Chamber of Commerce Citizen of the Year Award and the Plano Rotary's Paul Harris Fellow Award. He was also selected among the top five administrators in the State of Texas during his time as superintendent.

Pride was evident in Plano ISD and throughout the greater community as Dr. Hendrick led in the phenomenal growth of the school district, thus, in the growth of the city of Plano and the surrounding communities. Dr. Hendrick devoted his career to the Plano community as the superintendent of schools for thirty years. His extraordinary lifetime achievements illustrated the remarkable heights one can reach through hard work and determination. People moving to the area were drawn to his positive attitude and the spirit of teamwork and the tireless devotion to the development of the district that he inspired. Retiring in 1991, Dr. Hendrick remained active in education, serving in several interim positions in nearby school districts.

Longtime community leaders determined that they wanted to seek a way to express appreciation of Dr. Hendrick upon his retirement in 1991. They wanted to honor him for thirty years of brilliant vision and his unswerving idealism for excellence in education. They created the Hendrick Scholarship Foundation, which awards scholarships to disadvantaged youth who have overcome adversity. Until his death, Dr. Hendrick served on the Board of Directors as the Chairman of Scholarships and Academics and has continued to make a difference in the lives of the youth of our community. Known for his long-term vision of scholastic excellence and high-quality education for all students, Dr. Hendrick was an excellent role model for young people struggling against adversity.

Since his retirement in 1991, he was extremely dedicated in providing encouragement, counsel, and contacts for job opportunities at Plano ISD. He followed the school experiences of the students he inspired and received friendly letters of appreciation, invitations to their graduation ceremonies, and greetings at holiday times.

Dr. Hendrick owned a farm in Bonham, north of Plano, on which they ran approximately fifty head of cattle. Spending vacation times with his son, Steve, and his wife and their three grandchildren brought great joy to his life. He was a longtime member of First Baptist Church Plano. Active membership in the Plano Rotary Club was held by Dr. Hendrick for the 46 years he lived in Plano.

He was proceed in death by his wife, Elizabeth in 2008, after 62 years of marriage. He was survived by his son Steve Hendrick, daughter-in-law (Cindy) and three grandchildren, his nephew Mike and his wife. Flavia Weeden said, "Some people come into our lives and leave footprints on our hearts and we are never ever the same." We think that was Dr. Hendrick for all of us!

The family suggests that memorials may be made to Hendrick Scholarship Foundation, 800 Central Parkway East, Suite 100, Plano, Texas 75074