A Poem, In Memory Of Lucille Hendrick

Life is but a stopping place,
A pause in what's to be,
A resting place along the road,
to sweet eternity.
We all have different journeys,
Different paths along the way,
We all were meant to learn some
things,
but never meant to stay...
Our destination is a place,
Far greater than we know.
For some the journey's quicker,
For some the journey's slow.
And when the journey finally ends,
We'll claim a great reward,
And find an everlasting peace,
Together with the lord.

Author unknown
__________________________________________________

Lucile Mertz Hendrick

NATCHITOCHES, LA - Memorial services for Lucile Mertz Hendrick, 94, of Natchitoches will be held on Saturday, January 11, 2003, at 10 a.m., at the First United Methodist Church in Natchitoches, with the Rev. Doug Cain officiating. She donated her body for future medical research.
"Miss Cissy" was born January 4, 1909, in Mexia, Texas, and moved to Shreveport, LA at an early age. She graduated with honors in the first graduating class from C. E. Byrd High School in Shreveport.
She received her bachelor of arts degree in three majors of English, French and history at Louisiana State Normal in 1929, and then received her master of education degree in personnel, guidance and administration from Northwestern State College in 1958. While at Normal, she became a charter member of Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority, of which she was still active until the time of her death.
For nearly 15 years she taught at Vivian, North Caddo and C. E. Byrd high schools. In 1963 she became the Dean of Women at Northwestern State University after serving as Assistant Dean of Women from 1959 until 1963, and she served in that capacity until her retirement in 1974.
Professionally, she served as vice president of Kappa Delta Pi, president and secretary-treasurer of the Louisiana Women Deans and Counselors and was founder and charter member of the Northwestern State Univeristy chapter Alpha Lambda Delta.
She was also a member of the National Guidance and Personnel Association, Alpha Delta Kappa, the Louisiana College Conference, and she was Northwestern's representative to the American Association of University Women. While at Northwestern, she served as sponsor of Alpha Lambda Delta, the Associated Women Students, Purple Jackets Honor Society and Panhellenic Council. During her tenure as a college administrator, she was named Outstanding Dean of Women for Louisiana, and was inducted in the CE Byrd High School Hall of Fame. Recently she was named to Northwestern State University's Long Purple Line, the highest honor bestowed on a Northwestern alumnus. She was also the recipient of the Nth Degree at Northwestern, was named Who's Who in College and University Education, Who's Who of Women in the South, Outstanding Tour Guide
of Louisiana, and Outstanding Women of the Year for the City of Natchitoches. She was given the key to the City
of Natchitoches, received the Mayor's Award for Service, was named to the College of Education's Hall of Educators,
and was given the Sheriff's Award for "You Made a Difference". She was awarded citations from several NSU student organizations, including SGA, Purple Jackets, and Panhellenic, who created the Lucile Mertz Hendrick Panhellenic Foundation Scholarship in her honor. Sigma Sigma Sigma Sorority also created the Lucile Mertz Mendrick Outstanding Alumna Award in her honor. Hendrick volunteered many hours to her community by serving in various capacities of the Natchitoches Historic Foundation and was named Preservationist.
She was also a charter member of the Natchitoches Geneological Society, president and chaplain of Philanthropic Educational Organization (PEO), a charter member of the North Louisiana Historical Association, the Association for the Preservation of Historic Natchitoches, the Women's Missionary Union, the United Daughters of the Confederacy, DAR, Colonial Dames of the 17th Century, and the Daughters of the American Colonists.
She was a Sunday School teacher of adults for 43 years
at the First United Methodist Church in Natchitoches,
and she was a featured speaker on the Civil War and the American Revolution for numerous civic organizations. She has been featured in Southern Accents Magazine, and was highlighted in the NSU Centennial Celebration publications.
She was also recognized by the VA Medical Center in Alexandria, LA for her donation of 100 handmade quilts
for patients.
She is survived by her sister, Josephine Mertz Hillis
and her husband Ed of Idaho; her nieces Jan and husband Joe Huffman of Shreveport, Judy and husband Reggie Reynolds of Searcy, AR; and Billie Lavonia Mertz Barnthouse of Pensacola; and adopted the family of Jack and Ann Brittain of Natchitoches. Her husband, Artemas Ogilive Hendrick, Jr. predeceased her.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers that memorials be made to the Sigma Sigma Sigma Lucile M. Hendrick Scholarship, care of the Sigma Sigma Sigma Alumna Chapter of Natchitoches, 254 Julia Ann, Natchitoches, LA 71457; or the Natchitoches Historic Foundation, Box 2351, Natchitoches, LA 71457. Lucile Hendrick is a beacon of hope in a society darkened by people who live too fast and love too little. She is a living reminder of an America that knew happier days when people cared about people.

Paid obituary, reprinted above, says she donated her
body to medical science. Forest Park says neither she
nor husband are buried there.

Obituary courtesy of John Andrew Prime,
without whose tenacity, this memorial
would not have a photo or an obituary.
Thank you, John for completing the memorial
for Lucille Hendrik. June 27, 2012.

Poem 'Life is but a Stopping Place'
added to this memorial by Janet Milburn
#47529757, June 14, 2011.