Terrence L. Hendricks

   Terrence “Terry” Lamont Hendricks was born in Stockton California to teenage parents on September 18th, 1941, just days before Americans were stunned by the devastating Pearl Harbor surprise attack. After Terry’s third birthday, his father, William “Bill” Hendricks, was drafted into the Army. Terry armed himself with a (toy) rifle and stood guard on the front porch, determined to protect his mother during the absence of his father. In April 1945, PFC Hendricks was seriously wounded during the Tenth Army’s bloody battle for Okinawa, known as “Operation Iceberg”.  “Daddy” finally returned home after many long months recuperating in a veterans hospital.

   On May 15th, 1951, Terry’s brother, Darel Hendricks was born. During Terry’s childhood years, his Father’s psychological scars of battle stress proved more debilitating than the sniper bullet. After years of torment, Jean, Terry, and Darel, began a new life together. Jean Hendricks, assumed an austere, deprived her lifestyle and worked earnestly at a full-time job to pay back years of debt accumulated before her divorce. She relied on her oldest son to spend his afterschool hours and summer vacations caring for his younger brother.

   Terry attended nearby Sharples Junior High School (later renamed Aki Kurose Middle School). While attending Cleveland High School, Terry joined Junior Achievement, where he began learning about business. His successful Group designed, produced, packaged and sold cooking skewers. Terry best enjoyed the door to door selling activity. He would stay out until after dark ringing doorbells to make sales. As a teen, Terry earned spending money delivering newspapers, mowing lawns, and working as a laborer for a landscaper.

   Terry was hired at his first regular part-time job before the beginning of his last year of high school. He was a warehouseman at Lockland Distributing Co., a small family owned business located in northwest Seattle. The company placed electronic tube testers in drug stores and supermarkets. During his senior year, Terry received academic credit for this job experience.

   After Graduating from Cleveland High school in 1959, Terry married Kay Laney, the redhead who sat next to him in senior year Biology class.

   In October 1959, Terry found promising employment at the Seattle branch of the Charles Bruning Company. The thriving company operated production plants and sales branches throughout the U.S.A. and in Canada. The thick Bruning sales catalog offered customers an array of diazo and ammonia reproduction machines, Eastman Kodiak photocopiers and drafting supplies including drafting machines, erasers, drawing papers, rulers, pencil sharpeners, mechanical pencils, pens, ink and much more. Terry began as a shipping/receiving clerk in the warehouse. After one year, he was promoted to the front office. He worked in outside sales, inside sales and inventory accounting. He completed evening classes at the University of Washington, Holgate Technical School and Highline College. Terry competed to substantially increase his machine sales qualifying for membership in the company’s elite “Closer’s Club”. Only 91 Salesman from 22 of all the sales branches nationwide earned this distinction.

   First child, Jeffrey Scott Hendricks was born in 1960 and daughter Cheryl Ann Hendricks joined the family in 1962.

    In 1967, Terry sought to improve his earnings. He found a promising inside sales position with the Seattle branch of Joseph T. Ryerson & Son. This company operated fabrication facilities and warehouses with adjoining sales offices throughout the U.S.A. Terry quickly became knowledgeable about the extensive metals and plastics product lines. He was soon selected to become the first Aluminum and Industrial Plastic Sales Specialist of the Seattle branch office.

   At the change of the decade, a gloomy recession hit the Pacific Northwest. A commercial billboard near a busy freeway reflected workers’ desperation reading “Will the last person leaving Seattle – Turn out the lights”. Terry became anxious about the security of his earnings future so he diligently pursued the security of federal employment. He passed the Civil Service test to qualify. In November 1971 he began his new career working as a Casual Letter Carrier at the Redmond Post Office where he earned five out of six “Excellent” scores on his 90-day “Evaluation of Job Performance”. On August 29th, 1973 the Redmond Postmaster presented Terry with a $200 (cash) “Incentive Award”. Terry converted to fulltime Regular Carrier and he was awarded the City Mail Route #4 that grew to 800 deliveries after five years of home construction in the area.

   In July 1977, after an uncontested marriage disillusionment,  Terry resigned from the Post Office and embarked on a six month trip around the world and visited thirteen countries. He flew from Seattle to New York and Japan to India where he began an overland journey that took him through Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Turkey, Greece, Yugoslavia, Italy, Austria, Germany, Belgium and England. Landing in NY, he flew to Florida where he returned across America by bus via a southern route.

   Terry decided to begin his life anew in his birth state, Northern California. He reinstated wit the U.S. Postal Service at the Santa Cruz Post Office in September 1978. In 1982, Terry relocated to the Napa Main Post Office where he obtained reassignment to the Franklin Station Post Office as a retail sales associate (formerly known as Window Clerk). In March 1987, his abilities and special training earned him the additional title of “Sales Coach”. Over the ensuing years, he trained more than 30 new Sales Associates for the Napa Post Office. Additionally, Terry earned many prestigious awards for exemplary sales performance including “Excellence in Retail Revenue Per Hour for the Fiscal Year 2000” and a distinctive Oakland District “Special Achievement” certificate accompanied by a $500 cash award. Terry was dubbed “Sales Associate Extraordinaire” by the Oakland District Marketing Department.

   While living in Napa, Terry met his beloved soulmate, Susan Ann Conley-Stockton. Susan was a Registered Nurse and devout Catholic born and raised on a Midwest family dairy farm. Susan and Terry romanced while nurturing an endearing friendship before marrying seven years later on August 8th, 1987. Every day of their marriage has been a celebration of their love for each other.

   After 28 accumulated years of service to postal customers, Terry retired from the U.S. Postal Service on February 29th, 2004 at age 62

   Terry was a member of SIRS (Sons in Retirement Inc.) Napa Branch #65, NSGW (Native Sons of the Golden West) Napa Parlor #62 and the Napa Chapter of HLA (Hearing Loss Association) (formerly known as SHHH – Self Help for Hard of Hearing). Terry was a lifetime member of NARFE (National Association of Active and Retired Federal Employees) Napa Chapter #0281 where he served a term as First Vice President.

   Terry converted to Catholicism after participating in the four stages of RICA (Rite for Initiation of Christian Adults). He was a parishioner of St. Apollinaris Catholic Church where he attended Mass weekly.

   Terry is survived by his Brother Darel Epper and sister-in-law Rickie Epper, Son Jeffrey Hendricks and Daughter-in-law Laura Hendricks, Granddaughter Jenae Hoffner, Daughter Cheryl Murray, Son-in-law Marty Murray, Grandson Christopher Conway and all Grandchildren and his God Daughter Citlalie Rios.

   Terry was predeceased by his devoted wife, Susan Hendricks, his (Step) Father Frank Epper whom he knew for fifty years and his beloved Mother Jean Epper. His extended family is his Daughter Blanca Vanessa Morales, Son-in-law David Morales, Granddaughter Valentina Morales and Grandson Juan Manuel Rios.

   One of Terry’s last wishes was to thank all the wonderful Napans who waved, smiled, conversed, assisted and befriended him since August 1986 when he and Susan moved to Napa to stay.

Terry’s body will be buried at Tulocay Cemetery in Napa.

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