James G. Hendrickson's Obituary
James Hendrickson
James Gust Hendrickson, 94, of University Place, WA, passed away peacefully on the morning of August 1, 2012. He was born the second child of Alma and Gustav Hendrickson in Duluth, Minnesota on March 24, 1919 and moved out West as a young tyke with his family. The family of seven raised chickens on their Puyallup farm and belonged to the egg co-op which shipped premium eggs to New York City. He attended Puyallup High School and graduated Washington State University as an electrical engineer. He spent the majority of his career at Tacoma City Light.
In his free time as a bachelor, Jim was a pilot who loved flying his small planes up and down the west coast. During WWII, he helped develop automatic pilot systems and train pilots in their use. He was in New York City preparing to fly out to England when he awoke to the cheers of Armistice Day instead.
In 1950, he married Ruth Simonson. Together they raised four daughters in the house that he and his father-in-law built overlooking Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains. He was a family man, spending summer vacations camping and picnicking and teaching his towheaded daughters bike riding, softball, swimming, applying mud to bee stings and vinegar to sunburns, and other life skills. He enjoyed fruit and vegetable gardening, league bowling, golfing, travel, business interests, walks around the neighborhood, and dancing with his lovely wife.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Ruth, his brothers Robert and Paul, and his sister Louise Good. He is survived by his sister, Virginia Osman; daughters Karen Burns, Carol Gibson (Dave), Janis Hendrickson, and Rebecca Hendrickson (Michael Hammond); his grandchildren Gust and Noah Burns, Alex and Henry Gibson, Nora and Anna Hammond; his granddaughters-in-law Sara Hofmann and Kiley Branson; and great-grandson Asa Burns. The family thanks the kind, competent, and devoted caregivers of Lutheran Community Services and MultiCare Hospice staff and independents who assisted Jim. A celebration of life will be held August 13 at 1:00 PM in the Mountain View Garden Chapel. Flowers are welcome or a donation to the charity of your choice.
We will always think of Jim when singing -Å"Once We Went In Swimming,- digging a rain channel around our tent, reading Pogo, and biting into the sweetest ear of corn or a plump Italian prune. Thanks for everything, Pops!
Arrangements by Mountain View Funeral Home.
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