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Mary Virginia Hendricks was born September 24, 1924, in Boone, Iowa, the third of four children to Abraham "A.J." and Virginia Kading. She died peacefully on August 3, 2019 in San Marcos, Texas.
Mary graduated from Sacred Heart High School in Boone and attended the University of Iowa. She married Clayton Hendricks in Iowa City on June 5, 1948. Mary had a career as a military spouse, with strength and dedication equal to her husband's.
Mary's military life led her to live in Spokane, Washington; Hawaii and Virginia Beach, Virginia. She and Clayt had two children and Mary was the unrecognized strength of the family, raising children while Clayt was called to fight in his second and third wars as a career Marine.
Mary and Clayt retired to San Marcos, Texas in 1976, building their dream home where Mary lived until entering hospice care. Gardening became a passion for both of them, as they tended to two massive gardens, leading to homemade pickles and tomato sauce for themselves, their neighbors and relatives.
Mary volunteered for many years for Meals on Wheels and the San Marcos Area Chamber of Commerce, and was a member of Saint John the Evangelist Catholic Church in San Marcos. She will be remembered for her perseverance and resilience, living on her own well into her nineties.
She was preceded in death by her husband in 1998, and son Mark in 2017, brothers James and William Kading, and sister Helen Kading. She is survived by her daughter Vicki Bruner of Richmond, Virginia; sister-in-law Clavonne Kading; grandchildren Barry Bruner, Jr., Jordan Bruner, DeLynn Mitchell and Patrick Hendricks; great-grandchildren Nora and Caitlin Mitchell.
Mary and the family offer thanks to special friends who have helped in many ways over the last few years, Lois and Duane Knudson, Judy and Ron Brown, and to caregiver Diana Guajardo.
A memorial service will be held on August 19 at 10 a.m. at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery in San Antonio. In lieu of flowers, any donations should be sent to the San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter, 750 River Road, San Marcos, TX 78666.
Arrangements by Pennington Funeral Home, San Marcos, Texas, 512-353-4311.
