James Hendrick

1942 - 2018

James T. Hendrick

James Thompson Hendrick, 75, of Novato, CA passed away peacefully on Feb. 10, 2018 at home surrounded by family and friends, after a long journey with prostate cancer. He is survived by his beloved and dedicated wife Liz, his adored daughter Emily, both of the Bay area, his sisters Betsy Hendrick Barstead of Champaign and Bobbie Hendrick of Urbana, IL and Cleveland, OH, his nieces Becky Rowe and Alex Krueger, his nephew Tim Krueger, one grandnephew, his previous wife Irene Hendrick of San Francisco, dogs Graham and Woody, one horse, and six ponies. He is preceded in death by his parents, Robert James (Bob) and Mary Lee Hendrick.

Jim was born on the first day of spring '42, in Fostoria, OH, and raised in Champaign-Urbana, IL. He graduated from University High School in 1959. There, he played basketball, starred as "Grosvenor" in the Gilbert & Sullivan's "Patience," was Homecoming King, and won the first ever "Student of the Year" award.

Jim attended Trinity College in Hartford, CT; then transferred to the University of Illinois, where he was a member of the Sigma Nu fraternity. During his senior year, he was the U of I Student Senate President, the first Student Senate President elected at large. He graduated in 1963 Phi Beta Kappa with a Bachelor of Arts in economics.

Jim worked for the National Student Association in Philadelphia and managed its foreign-student scholarship program and the Student Relations Seminar in 1963-1965. He graduated from Harvard Law School in June 1967 with a Juris Doctor degree; then worked for Ross, Hardy, et al. law firm in Chicago.

In 1968, Jim joined the Navy in the Judge Advocate General Corps. After training in Newport, RI, he was stationed at Treasure Island, San Francisco and Mare Island in Vallejo, CA. The work was mostly mundane insurance claims, except for the memorable case of the sinking of the USS Guitarro submarine (aka the "Mare Island Mud Puppy") in the Napa River, Vallejo, CA. He also was not pleased about having to prosecute military personnel who did not want to serve in the Vietnam war.

Following his time in the JAG Corps, Jim very much enjoyed his 40-year career practicing law in San Francisco, primarily with Thelen, Marrin, Johnson & Bridges, and he appreciated the attorneys, judges, and adversaries with whom he worked.

Jim was active in his family's business, Hendrick House, a student residence hall and food service provider in Urbana, IL. He also enjoyed spending time in his family's home in Antigua, Guatemala. Jim loved to sail and owned a beautiful square-rigged wooden schooner, "the Morena." He was a vocal "Left-Coast" Democrat, and was proud that several of his letters appeared in the San Francisco newspapers.

For years, Jim was involved in the attempt to establish the Monterey Horse Park at the former Fort Ord base. He was hugely supportive of the horse community in general as well as an exemplary "show dad" for his daughter Emily, wiping dust off boots and horse slobber off jackets. He was Liz's partner in carriage driving competitions, hanging off the back step like a seasoned pro.

Jim first began going to Grateful Dead concerts in the late 1960's, when they were just a newly-formed band playing in local venues. He soon became a lifelong "Deadhead" and went to the group's Bay Area concerts as much as possible. When Emily was about seven, he took her to see the Dead (including the late Jerry Garcia) at Shoreline Amphitheater, and they attended many shows together over the years.

Jim was a kind, thoughtful, utterly decent man, always on the right side of any moral argument. He was our navigator, not only in driving competitions and sailing, but also in life. He will be terribly missed by all.

Please contact the family for details of the Celebration of Jim's Life, to be held in Novato.

Donations may be made to Mayan Families, P.O. Box 710400, Santee, CA 92072, and also online at https://www.mayanfamilies.org/donate/simple in memory of James T. Hendrick. Mayan Families' mission is to facilitate sustainable development programs in impoverished communities throughout the Lake Atitlán region of rural Guatemala.