William Hendrix

1940 - 2015

Hendrix, William 11/28/1940 ~ 04/08/2015 JAMUL -- Dr. William E. Hendrix (11/28/1940 - 04/08/2015 San Diego) will be profoundly missed and remembered as a dedicated and loving husband, father and grandfather; a talented and innovative surgeon and engineer; an active and philanthropic member of his communities and an authentic friend who was truly blessed with the love of life. On April 8th he lost his four-year battle with cancer. Born in Sacramento the only son of William and Edna (Hall) Hendrix. Bill graduated from Las Vegas High and went on to receive his Undergraduate, Dental and Oral Surgery Degrees from the University of Southern California (USC). It is here where he met and married the love of his life for fifty-two years, Donna Gillette. After completing his residency at LA County Hospital, they moved to Jamul and spent the next forty-four years building their home and legacy at Hillside Ranch. In addition to his wife Donna, he is survived by their son Blair, his wife Jackie and their children Lindsay, Rachel and Ian of Boston, MA; and their daughter Karri Lange, her husband Bill and their children Thomas, Matthew and Victoria of San Francisco, CA. From 1971-2010, he practiced as a Board Certified Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon in the partnership of The Center for Oral and Facial Surgery. As a leader in his professional community, he served as President of the San Diego County Dental Society and the California Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons and was co-founder of the Implant Mini Residency Program in San Diego. He was active in countless professional and educational organizations, receiving several post-graduate certifications and fellowships, and his hospital affiliations included the major hospitals of San Diego. He was on the forefront of Implant technology designing innovative solutions and participating in cutting edge clinical studies. In his personal life, his strong moral compass gave him the ability to serve his community. He and Donna co-chaired the McGrath Family YMCA Capital Campaign and were major donors to the Teen Center. He served as a member and Chairman of the Jamul-Dulzura Planning Committee and was active in the fight to keep Jamul rural. As a thirty-plus year member of the Rotary Club of San Diego (Club 33) he supported and participated in Camp Enterprise. In 1997 he received the Peter F. Drucker Award for Non Profit Innovation. He donated countless hours to the St. Vincent de Paul Dental Clinic and generously supported numerous local and national philanthropic organizations. He was an avid horseman and a member of the Vaqueros del Desierto, Portola and Rancheros Visitadores riding clubs. He and Donna also loved the arts, traveling and visiting their grandchildren. Memorial Services on Sunday, April 19th, 3:30 pm at the First United Methodist Church of San Diego. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the McGrath Family YMCA for the enrichment of the teen center. Donations can be sent to the East Country YMCA, Attn: Linda Griffith, 8881 Dallas St., La Mesa, CA 91942.