Eugene N Hendrix

Heroic Veteran and Loving Patriarch Eugene Neal Hendrix

February 18, 1928 - January 6, 2026

Eugene Neal Hendrix, age 97 of Lawn, TX, formerly of Comanche, passed from this world into the arms of Jesus, ready and resolved to reunite with his bride Ida on January 6, 2026. He was her husband for nearly 54 years and missed her every day. The family finds peace and joy in their reunification. He led a long full life with no regret.

A memorial service will be held at Elmwood Funeral Home on Thursday, January 22nd at 2:00pm with Matthew Hendrix officiating. Immediately after, there will be military honors with TAPS salute. Entombment will follow at the same location.

Gene was born February 18, 1928 in Levelland, Texas. His childhood included work on the farm during the Great Depression with no plumbing or electricity. The Panhandle had few trees, so cow chips were gathered to burn in their stove. Beans were often consumed as the entree two times a day. Despite these hardships Gene cherished memories of a happy childhood with a mother who baked from scratch and a father tough as nails.

Determined to serve his country during World War II, he began military applications at age 16 but was rejected. The Merchant Marines offered an opportunity as they were desperate for sailors having suffered far more casualties than the traditional branches. Weeks after his 17th birthday he sailed across the Atlantic, embracing the chance to serve no matter the danger. Gene later joined the Army Air Corp and served in the Philippines. One example of his bravery was when he and other soldiers ran to rescue children with flying bullets targeting them. They swept up wounded children in their arms and jumped in the back of a truck that whisked them off to a hospital. On the rare occasions that he talked about this he would say with a lump in his throat about the child in his arms, "he didn't make it." The man was a hero who did not allow anybody to call him a hero.

After the war, he attended trade school and had a career in sales. He had a passion for western movies and antique car restoration. His declarations include, "they don't make movies like they used to!" and "antique means produced before World War II, not a car 20 years old!" He courted Ida Corrine Roehrman for four months until their marriage in Wichita, KS on December 31, 1955. They moved to Dallas, TX in 1960. There he worked in sales and actively attended church and sporting events for his son and daughter. This included camping and hunting adventures.

In 1981, they moved to Comanche, Texas and joined Eastside Baptist Church, where Gene and Ida both faithfully worshipped and served for 24 years. After spending time rebuilding a large historical two-story house to the point where they could live in it, he began a new chapter in his career: selling houses for Jim Walter Homes. There he found great career success, including a year in which he received an award for being the top salesman in the USA. After a few real estate investments, he transitioned to retirement.

Officially retired, Gene continued to restore their historic home, care for their 10 acres, and actively assisted in his wife's work in the insurance industry. Ida owned Heartland Insurance Agency in Comanche. However, his greatest devotion was to his children and grandchildren. This devotion led Gene and Ida to move to Lawn to be closer to family. In Lawn, he enjoyed working on his 1925 Dodge Roadster in his shop and driving to swap meets across the state making a little money until the ripe age of 97. He is deeply missed.

Gene was preceded in death by his parents, Clara Henrietta Tonn Hendrix and James Neddie (Ned) Hendrix; his wife Ida Hendrix; brothers Jimmy, Howard and Al; and sisters Vickie and Marie. He is survived by one daughter, Becky Bradford of Abilene; one son, Matt Hendrix of Sweetwater; three grandsons, Noah, Brayton, and Eli; three granddaughters, Aimee, Lizzie, and Dessie; four great-grandsons, Tyler, Kenny, Jeremiah, and Cayde; and three great-granddaughters Emma, Jocelynn, and Jolleen. The family expresses appreciation to the staff at The Lamun-Lusk-Sanchez Texas State Veterans Home and the Big Spring Hospice Care Team who cared for him in the last weeks of his life.