Grant Hamro Hendrickson

Grant Hamro Hendrickson passed away on September 25, 2016 at the age of 84. His life was characterized by leadership, service, love of the out-of-doors, and love for his family. Born December 26, 1931 in Seattle, WA, he started his career as a Baptist minister after earning a Doctorate in New Testament Studies from Bob Jones University. He and his wife Pat, whom he married in 1957, moved to Caldwell, Idaho to pastor a church in 1959 and remained there until 1963 when Grant left the ministry. He and Pat moved to Bellevue, WA, where he started teaching middle school and earned a Masters Degree in Counseling from the University of Washington.

In 1966 he was appointed Vice Principal at the new Interlake High School in Bellevue, WA, beginning a career in public school administration. In 1970 he completed his Doctorate in in Public School Administration, and the family moved to Pullman, WA, where Grant was principal of the high school for four years. He was hired as Administrative Assistant for Curriculum for the Longview, WA, school district in 1974, and became Superintendent of Schools in 1978, serving in that position until 1992. During this time he introduced collaborative bargaining to the contract negotiation process and established a sister district relationship with Wako school district in Japan. In 1983 the Longview Daily News named him the eighth most influential person in Cowlitz County in their “Profiles in Power” series. He was interim Superintendent of the Issaquah, WA, school district from 1995 until 1997, when he finally retired. In 2001, feeling the need for a new challenge, he successfully ran for the Board of Trustees of Group Health Cooperative. He served on the Board until 2007, and was Chair of the Cooperative in 2003 and 2004.

Despite his busy work schedule, Grant always found time for service through his involvement in Rotary Club and other community organizations. He served on the boards of the Longview Chamber of Commerce and the Community Home Health/Hospice Association of Cowlitz County. He was an avid gardener with a special love for roses, which he enjoyed showing competitively. He was a test gardener for new rose strains, a certified American Rose Society judge, and spent ten years as volunteer manager of the Longview Municipal Rose Garden. His other great love was fly fishing and tying flies. His original trout fly, which he christened “Grant’s Green Weenie,” is included in several books about fly fishing in the Pacific Northwest. When Parkinson’s began to impair his ability to garden and fish, he took up bird watching. He helped found a bird watching club at the Trilogy community in Redmond, WA, and he and Pat enjoyed many birding expeditions together in recent years.

Grant was devoted to his family: Pat, his wife of 59 years, his daughters Janet and Tristan, and his granddaughter Leia. No matter how busy he was with his job and service activities, he always made his family a priority. He will be greatly missed by them, and by the many colleagues, students, friends, and community members whose lives he touched.

In lieu of flowers the family requests you consider a contribution in Grant's name to the Booth Gardner Parkinson's Care Center. Donations may be made online at www.EvergreenHealth.com/Parkinsons.

Arrangements under the direction of Acacia Memorial Park & Funeral Home, Seattle, Washington.