William "Bill" Hendricks

IN MEMORY OF: William “Bill” Hendricks Serving Location: CRAIN FUNERAL HOME – ULLIN 420 Ullin Avenue, Ullin, Illinois William L. “Bill” Hendricks, age 87, of Edwardsville, Illinois, formerly of Mounds and Centralia, Illinois, passed away on Wednesday, November 20, 2024 at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis, Missouri. Bill was born November 20, 1937 to Henry and Beatrice (Sammons) Hendricks in Mounds, Illinois. On June 9, 1956, he married Jo Varner, his cherished wife of more 68 years, who survives him. He is survived by two daughters, Dianne Slattery (husband, Kerry) of Mounds, Illinois, Jodi Weaver (husband, Wally) of Edmond, Oklahoma; four grandchildren, Brad Kay (wife, Rebecca) of St. Peters, Missouri, Christy Kay of O’Fallon, Illinois, William Weaver (wife, Christine) of Katy, Texas, and Sam Weaver of North Richland Hills, Texas; and six great-grandchildren. His devotion to family brought great purpose and joy. Relationships with each grandchild were unique and precious, and each counts it a blessing to have had his wise counsel even in their adult lives. His example of sacrificial love and generosity is profound and lives on in all. Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by his two brothers, John Hendricks and Marvin Hendricks. Bill enjoyed a career of more than 30 years in telecommunications with Illinois Bell Telephone Company (now AT&T). His retirement years were spent largely in helping others. He worked hard, studied broadly, and enjoyed the simple things in life like nurturing birds, wildlife, trees, and plants and relishing the beauty of God’s creation. He began every day with prayer and studying the Bible as his compass for life. Bill was a lifelong learner in many disciplines. His home library includes many well-read books on theology, biography, poetry, classic literature, steam locomotives, nature, and quantum biology among other topics. A cultivator of the earth and of people, Bill developed relationships by sharing the things he loved and studied. He diligently kept flower and vegetable gardens, sharing the bounty with neighbors and friends while also building connections with kindness. His selfless pattern of generosity to others characterized all aspects of his life. He was a humble, gracious, and thankful man whose life was, above all, dedicated to serving the Lord Jesus Christ. Visitation will be held Tuesday, November 26, 2024 from 4:00 PM until 6:30 PM with a service following at Saksa Funeral Home, 210 N. Kansas St., Edwardsville, Illinois 62025, with Rev. Wally Weaver officiating and special music by Brad Kay. Visitation will be held Wednesday, November 27, 2024 from 11:00 AM until 12:00 PM at Crain Funeral Home, 420 Ullin Ave., Ullin, Illinois 62992. Interment will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery, Pulaski, Illinois. Crain Funeral Home in Ullin is in charge of Arrangements.

William "Bill" Hendricks

November 20, 1937 - November 20, 2024