Arlie Lee Hendon

I ask that we clear our minds for a moment and remember why we are here today.

This is hallowed ground…reserved for those who have served our country.

When I hear taps played

and the volleys of the rifle salute …something strikes deeply inside me…and I can only reply those buried here …with an inadequate thank you.

We are all here to honor and celebrate the life of Arlie Hendon.

Arlie served our country in a time during Vietnam.

He was a soldier who was exposed to Agent Orange and it eventually led to his end of life before he was ready to go.

Arlie Lee Hendon was born September 1, 1947 in Hollendale Mississippi, to his parents Leo and Cora Hendon. They were a family of 10 who worked hard, played hard, lived hard. Life was not easy, but they knew what to do.

The Hendons moved to Sandy, Oregon during Arlie’s high school years where he met and fell in love with Cathy Boothby. Through choir and a Sadie Hawkins Dance, they became sweethearts and later married while Arlie was on leave in Hawaii.

They lived down South for a time, then moved to Bend, Oregon, where they had their kids, Kelly and Kimmy.

Arlie was smitten with them both and enjoyed them so much. As babies, kids, and then as adults.

The marriage ended, but never the love Arlie had for Cathy and their kidlets. Kelly was his “Main Man” and Kimmy was his “Babydoll”. He treasured them and enjoyed them and loved them with all his heart.

Arlie was a helicopter mechanic in the Army, and his son, Kelly, followed in his footsteps and made his Dad so proud.

During his tour of duty, Arlie wrestled in Germany and won championships as a Greco-Roman wrestler.

Arlie loved to play. Cards, pool, foosball, softball, basketball, golf, wrestling, boxing, Nintendo, etc… It was a passion and he was good at every sport he played. He loved teaching his brothers, sisters, kids, grandkids, nieces and nephews how to use the skills he had. He was definitely gifted, could use both hands interchangeably and could jump five feet off the ground, which was only a couple of inches shorter than he was. He also loved his motorcycles and cars and Kimber has memories of riding with her Daddy on the front with Kelly on the back of his motorcycle making weekend trips between his house in Bend, to the kids’ house in Alfalfa, where many memories were made with a particularly wild party that involved lots of food, cars, family, and nearly the whole city of Bend camped out in the field.

Arlie was known for his blue eyes, and his dancing, and he enjoyed camping with his family at Pine Hollow, Oxbow Park, where many great memories were made. Many.

He had the best of friends, genuine people that stayed with him until the end. Dick and Angie had a very special place in his heart. If he liked you, you knew it, and he would do anything for you. And if he didn’t like you, you knew it, but he was respectful about it. He meant what he said and he said what he meant.

He liked his cars and his trucks and usually could be found driving to the store for smokes any time he could get away with it.

Arlie loved horses and taught his kids how to ride and train them. He could jump up on a horse and ride, bareback, like he was born on a horse. He shared his love of horses with his siblings, his dad, and his kids. He liked wearing his cowboy hat, but preferred tennis shoes so he could move easier shoot hoops if the event called for it. For a time he wanted to be known as the Tennis Shoe Cowboy. It didn’t stick.

He wasn’t much of a pet person, and he didn’t like dogs much at all until…Baby… Baby Dimplebutt was her name and when he introduced you to her, he would turn her around to demonstrate why that was her name. They didn’t go anywhere without each other, and Kimber put Baby in his arms as he passed so they could have the comfort of each other at his end.

Arlie was so proud of his son, Kelly, and the loss of him was too much to bear. Kelly is laid to rest here in this cemetery…

in Section eight.

Arlie experienced loss after loss in life. Losses in the war, loss of his Dad, brothers, sisters, mother, and son were devastating.

His sisters Jeannie and Linda are still with us. As well as his brother Ray.

Arlie is also survived by his true love, Cathy and his daughter Kimber.

Also by his Grandchildren: Mandi, Tyler, Christina, Alana, Brianna, Isabella, Marcus, and Dante.

His nieces and nephews had a very special place in his heart and was able to form special connections with Kaylene and Tashina, as well as Corey, Scotty, TJ, and Shelby,

He was proud of and loved and his great grandchildren too.

Arlie respected people who had good common sense and when he showed you how to do something, he appreciated if you caught on quick.

He was very entertaining. He loved scaring you, and would wait until you were really concentrating on something, or watching a scary movie, or were reaching into a box of something, it was then he would reach out and grab you, while snarling/snorting and scare the living crap out of you.

He did it his whole life and even in the end when Kimber was giving him his medicine and when nurses were trying to take his vitals. He got them every time and gained such joy out of it.

He loved making people laugh and had such a great sense of humor that he passed on to his kids, grandkids, and great grandkids. The Hendon humor. We know it well.

I asked Kimber about some warm fuzzy readings and poetry as we began talking Monday afternoon… She told me that just wasn’t him…but he probably would appreciate someone telling a dirty joke, or sharing a funny story, or lighting up… No, sorry, you’ll have to wait.

Arlie was positive even in his decline. He told the nurse he thought he was getting better and planned on proving the doctors wrong. He did, for a while.

Kimber shared some very powerful moments she had with her Dad. She was especially gifted some sweet time, stories, and connection in his last weeks, days, and moments. And was an audience to the same that he shared with others who loved him so much.

It was important to her that his wishes be honored and he feel all the love. All the way to the end.

She shared how his face lit up and he smiled in a very lucid moment when he called her Babydoll and told her he loved her. And told his best friend that he wanted to see him and he loved him.

And the very moment he passed…feeling his presence leave.

As we go forth from today keep in mind that Arlie is with you…It may be the trip to Bend, when you hear a horse snicker, when someone makes you jump and laughs at you, when you hear a really good dirty joke, or smell some smoke… You might get a feeling or a thought rush in…relish that moment. That’s Arlie.