Ronald Hendricks Obituary

Ron Hendricks passed away at home with family on November 30, 2024, after a long battle with Vascular Dementia/Alzheimer’s. He was 82 years old. Ron was born on March 31, 1942, in Tacoma, WA, to Bert and Dorothy (Miller) Hendricks. Ron grew up on the Olympic Peninsula and attended Port Angeles High School, where he was active in football, basketball, and track. He graduated from Port Angeles High School in 1960.

After graduating high school, he enrolled at the University of Washington for a year. He then transferred to Western Washington State College, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in 1961 and a Bachelor of Arts in Education in 1965. Ron also attended the University of Minnesota briefly before being drafted into the U.S. Army. On June 25, 1966, he married Bernie Weber in Seattle.

While serving in the Army, Ron was stationed in Washington DC with the 3rd Infantry Regiment, “The Old Guard”. The Old Guard is the Army’s official ceremonial unit and the oldest active-duty infantry unit in the Army. Ron performed ceremonial duties such as rendering final honors to fallen service members at Arlington National Cemetery. He was also responsible for providing security during the war protests in Washington DC.

After completing his military service in 1968, Ron returned to Washington to pursue his master's degree at Western Washington State College. In the fall of 1969, he accepted a position as a history teacher and coach at Stanwood High School. What was initially planned as a one-year commitment turned into over thirty years within the district. During his career, Ron held various roles, including teacher, coach, athletic director, and vice-principal at the high school. In 1984, he became the principal and athletic director of Stanwood Middle School, a position he held until his retirement in 1999.

After several years of enjoying retirement, Ron returned to the district in 2003 to take on the role of Interim Transportation Director. During the next six years, he served as a campus security officer and an attendance specialist at Stanwood High School. During the 2006-07 school year, he was also an administrative mentor to an interim principal at the high school.

Ron dedicated his life to education and the community. He positively impacted many lives as a teacher, coach, administrator, athletic director, and mentor. Ron built a lasting legacy in the Stanwood School District and community.

When Ron wasn’t working, he enjoyed spending time with his family and friends, as well as tending to his yard. He was a devoted husband, father, grandfather, and friend. He was always willing to lend a hand whenever his loved ones needed assistance. Ron is survived by his son Sean (Debbie) Hendricks, his daughter Stacey Hendricks, and his granddaughter Nicole (Jon) Hacker. He was preceded in death by his wife Bernie, his parents, and his brother Jerry.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, February 22, from 1-4 pm at the Stanwood High School Performing Arts Center, located at 7400 272nd Street NW, Stanwood, WA.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests making donations to either the Alzheimer’s Association https://www.alz.org/ or Continuum Care of Washington https://continuumwa.com/donation/.