Lois M. Hendricks
April 2, 1931 - November 30, 2018
On Friday, November 30, 2018, Lois Hendricks, 87, passed away surrounded by many family members.
The third of four daughters of a pastor, Lois moved several times – spending her high school years in St. Paul, Chicago and Seattle. She spent a year at St. Olaf College, Northfield, and another at Fairview Nurses Training, St. Paul, before her marriage, on Oct. 27, 1951, to Ralph Hendricks. Lois worked various jobs to support the businesses started by Ralph, most notably at Hy-Point Hatchery, and then as co-founder of Cedar Lake Farm.
In her younger years, Lois possessed a beautiful singing voice, and the skillful hands of an artist. She loved gardening, reading historical fiction, sharing funny stories, and was prone to infectious fits of laughter. In the later years of her life, she remained very active and enjoyed defying expectations as she waterskied into her 70’s and traveled as she pleased. But the central theme through all her life was her faith in Jesus Christ.
Out of her faith flowed a love for serving others. Lois volunteered as Sunday School teacher, adult literacy mentor, host of Bible studies and prayer groups, in a women’s prison ministry and local youth center, and performed countless other acts of kindness. For her, no problem was beyond God’s power to fix, and when the going got rough, she prayed, waited for wisdom, and took further action. Meeting the needs of others gave her a quiet joy, and no one benefitted more than her husband, five sons, and their families.
Lois was preceded in death by her husband Ralph. She is survived by her five sons Mark (Jill), Paul (Connie), Jon (Mary), Eric (Lisa), and Luke (Tamiyo), 15 grandchildren, and 16 great-grandchildren.
A celebration of Lois’ life will be held Saturday, December 8, 2018, 11am at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church (1300 Main St. E, New Prague). Visitationat Bruzek Funeral Home (610 Main St. E, New Prague), Friday, December 7, 6-8pm and at church one hour before Saturday’s service. Memorials preferred to Minnesota Teen Challenge.
I attended spirit of life church with lois in the mid/late 80’s! Wonderful church picnics at cedar lake farm! Over the years our paths would cross and she always had a smile and a way of making each person feel valued! She inspired so many of us to live for Jesus and , although she will be greatly missed, her legacy will continue through the lives of those she touched.
I babysat for her boys in my early teenage years. She was so kind and generous. Lois loved to leave lots of dishes for me to do, but I loved doing them for her. The boys were always good kids, so it was a great job for me. In my spare time I talked on the phone. Mark may remember.
Stephanie Luther Rahn
Somewhere in my early years in New Prague, I had the great pleasure of meeting Lois. In this last year our paths crossed again. How delightful she was in spirit. Lois was truly one of a kind: beautiful, gentle and generous, an example to be followed. How blessed the Hendricks family is to have had such a matriarch!