Richard Hendryx

1944 - 2020

Richard Hendryx

Johnston - Rick Hendryx, 75, passed away peacefully at the Mercy Hospice house on Sunday, March 22, 2020 following a battle with cancer.

Rick was born June 18, 1944 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and grew up there. He attended Regis High School where he was a standout athlete in Football and Baseball. He went on to play football at the University of Iowa and obtained his degree in teaching. Upon graduation, he married Lynn Hendyx (Burkhart) and they settled in the Cedar Rapids area where he taught History and coached a wide variety of sports at his alma mater.

In 1974, his family moved to Waterloo when he took the head football coach job at Waterloo Columbus. He continued to teach and took on Athletic Director responsibilities there. During his 16 years at Columbus, his teams won two 3A state championships, made the playoffs in multiple seasons and together with his coaching staff and players, built a winning tradition that he was very proud of.

He was inducted into the Iowa High School Football Coach's Hall of Fame and recently into Columbus' Athletic Hall of Fame. He made lifelong friendships at Columbus and cherished the camaraderie and relationships with those with whom he worked.

After the passing of his wife Lynn, he remarried Charlene Hendryx (Smith) and together they moved to Des Moines where he taught History and coached football briefly at Lincoln High school until his retirement. His passion for football extended past his playing and coaching days, through his love for the Hawkeyes and Green Bay Packers. He was a lifelong fisherman, he loved to garden, play bridge, gamble and spend time with his family & friends.

He will be missed by the staff at Prairie Meadows, as well as his Bridge House family - where his sharp wit kept everyone entertained… some more than others! We want to especially thank his bridge family for their support of him by bringing him weekly meals to take home, offering words of encouragement, waking him up if he happened to doze off in the middle of a game, but more importantly, by giving him a place that he admitted has kept him going in the last five years and was the highlight of his week. We are forever grateful to you.

He is survived by his best friend and companion, his dog Charlie, with his family coming in a very close second. Dad, Gramps, Coach Dick …oh how we will miss you. Life with you was never dull, you were truly one of a kind, and our life was certainly more fun with you in it. The stories we will share with one another about your humor and antics through the years will keep us laughing forever. Thank you for being YOU.

A celebration of life will be held later this year. Memorial contributions may be designated for the Animal Rescue League of Des Moines. Online condolences may be expressed at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.