David Hendricks

It is with profound sadness that we share the passing of David M. Hendricks, age 80, who died peacefully at his New York City home on January 27, 2025, after a recent illness.
Born in Charlotte, North Carolina, David earned his BA from St. Andrews Presbyterian College and an MFA from the University of Connecticut before moving to New York in the 1970s to pursue a career in acting. He later dedicated over 25 years to the Africa-America Institute, where he traveled extensively across Africa, working tirelessly to place prospective students at universities across the United States with the goal of returning to their home African communities with advanced academic and developmental skills.
David, a true southern gentleman, balanced ruggedness with elegance. He and his husband of 45 years, Dr. Robert "Bob" Remien, built a life together in New York City and the Catskill Mountains. He found joy in gardening, hiking with his beloved Hungarian Vizsla's Jesse and Brody, extensive domestic and international travel, many favored vacation spots such as Parrot Cay in the Bahamas and the mountains of western Montana, and the most cherished annual visits to the beloved Remien family cottage in Provincetown, MA.
His life was rich with simple pleasures and deep relationships. David cherished Musical Cabaret, Broadway Theatre, and an array of musical styles, particularly the great standards and the work of artists like Etta, Ella, Odetta, Sarah, and his forever favorite Judy Garland, along with his dear friends Norm Lewis and Barbara Cook. Among his passions were hiking, raising Vizslas, savoring a nightly Manhattan, enjoying southern fried chicken with generously buttered biscuits, indulging in desserts, and reading The New York Times.
David will be remembered for his charm, grace, honesty, discerning nature, and deep kindness. He leaves behind his devoted husband Robert, his beloved Vizsla Brody, his brother Tom Hendricks and his wife Denise, the expansive and loving Remien/Lipponer family and a vast network of chosen family and friends from New York, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, California, the Carolinas, and beyond.
He was preceded in death by his father Harold and his mother Betty Buell Hendricks, who lived to 103 and deeply influenced his life. David will be dearly missed by so many. A Celebration of David's life will be announced at a later date.
In lieu of flowers and David's love for all animals, memorials may be made to your local Humane Society or ASPCA.org.