Frances Hewitt Hendrickson, beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, passed away in Oklahoma City on May 1, 2018 at the age of 94. Frances was born to Arthur and Ruth Hewitt on January 5, 1924 in Santa Barbara, California, and was the third of seven sisters. She spent her formative years in Napavine, Washington and graduated Salutatorian from Chehalis High School in Chehalis, Washington. She attended on scholarship Central Washington University in Ellensburg, Washington, graduating summa cum laude, and received a degree in Education from the University of Oklahoma in 1948.
She met Calvin Wesley Hendrickson, Jr. in post-war Seattle at an Officers’ Club Dance, and they married on September 1, 1946. She then embarked on a wonderful journey through life for the next 54 years with one of the state’s top trial attorneys. Fran worked as a school teacher for several years and then stopped working outside the home to raise her four children. Thereafter, she worked as a real estate agent and then as an assistant for several years to Jerome Byrd, Oklahoma Secretary of State. Believing in service, she was very involved in her children’s schools, serving as Cub Scout Leader, Blue Bird Leader, and President of the PTA to name a few. She also donated countless hours and years to the Oklahoma County Bar Auxiliary and to Youth Services of Oklahoma County, a local non-profit dedicated to providing a better life to disadvantaged children and teenagers.
Fran had a penchant for investing and knew a good “buy” when she saw one. She was a spunky athlete and played golf and finally tennis into her early 80s. She was also a card shark and could finesse with the best of them in a crafty game of Spades or Bridge. After Fran’s first husband passed, she rekindled a friendship with a long-time family friend and actor, G. D. Spradlin, to whom she was married from 2002 until his death in 2011. Fran and G.D. would always toast “to love” as G.D. was lovingly embraced by his new family. Fran’s greatest joy, however, were her eight grandchildren and one great-granddaughter, all of whom affectionately referred to her as “Moo-Mommy” or “Moom”. She loved spending time reading, playing games and swimming with them, relishing movie classics like Mary Poppins and The Music Man, and later attending their athletic and academic events.
While known for many tremendous qualities, the character trait that most exemplified Fran was her kindness. She was a mother and a grandmother through and through. She was a nurturer and always put family first before herself in everything she did.
Fran is survived by her daughter, Christy Hendrickson of San Diego, California; son, David Hendrickson and his wife, Clelia DeMoraes of Colorado Springs, Colorado and son, Rusty Hendrickson and his wife, Kathy of Edmond, Oklahoma. She is also survived by seven grandchildren, Richard Houghten and his wife Nicole of Los Angeles, California; Russell Houghten and his wife, Tamara of Los Angeles, California; Wesley Hendrickson and Marina Hendrickson, both of Colorado Springs, Colorado; Jeffrey Hendrickson and his wife, Sarah Margaret of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Will Hendrickson and his wife, Zoe of Portland, Oregon; and Greg Hendrickson of Stillwater, Oklahoma. She is also survived by one great-granddaughter, Quinn Tiger Houghten of Los Angeles, California.
Fran was preceded in death by her first husband, Calvin W. Hendrickson, Jr., her second husband, G. D. Spradlin, her son, Mark Hendrickson and her beloved granddaughter, Whitney Hendrickson.
The family would like to give special thanks to her caregiver, Carol McElyea, who provided great assistance and support to Fran, especially in the last few years of her life.
A memorial service will be held at Hahn-Cook/Street & Draper, 6600 Broadway Ext. Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73116 on Friday, May 4, 2018 at 3:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any donations be made to Youth Services of Oklahoma County, n/k/a “Pivot”.
