Tommy Dean Hendrick

Tommy Dean Hendrick, 80, of Amarillo, Texas, passed away on August 10, 2026. Born in Hawthorne, California, on August 5, 1946, Tom grew up in Cushing, Oklahoma, as the cherished only child of Ed and Milly Hendrick.

A graduate who proudly earned his high school diploma thanks to taking his favorite class—woodshop—four separate times, Tom was a natural builder and a bit of a free spirit from the start. High school saw him delivering newspapers, riding motorcycles, and constructing homemade speedboats, including one memorable project that accidentally evacuated the school when he lacquered it without proper ventilation.

Following high school, Tom enlisted in the United States Army. He served in Washington, D.C., working in communications and supporting civil response efforts during the Vietnam War era. After his honorable discharge, he joined Bell Telecommunications in Maryland, spending his free time touring the East Coast on his motorcycle. A transfer with Bell brought him to Houston in the mid-1970s, where he formed lifelong friendships. His Houston years were filled with weekend boat trips and waterskiing on Lake Somerville, motorcycle journeys across the Southwest, and building a beach house in Galveston.

Never one to sit idle, Tom transitioned from his first retirement at Bell into roles with two additional telecommunications companies and later Home Depot. In the late 2010s, he relocated to Amarillo to be near his son and three of his grandchildren. There, he embraced an oversized garage where he spent countless hours tinkering with cars, trikes, lawn equipment, and homebrewing, always accompanied by his beloved dogs and a yard full of chickens. Outgoing and generous, Tom quickly built ties with his neighbors and actively attended church with his son’s family.

Though dementia challenged his final years, Tom’s warm personality continued to shine through, bringing new friends into his life alongside the steady visits of lifelong companions and family.

Tom is survived by his wife, Kathy; his son, Daniel Hendrick and wife Hillary; his daughter, Tara Hendrick; his stepson, Levi Browne; his former wife, Catherine Bendig; four beloved grandchildren, Alwen, Everley, Graham, and Avery; and a wide circle of dear friends. He will be remembered for his ready willingness to lend a helping hand, his ability to build just about anything, his unwavering devotion to his family, and his deep love for his dogs.