Joanne Hendricks

Joanne Hazel (Grebe) Hendricks, 85, passed away on Tuesday, March 12, 2019 in Springfield Regional Medical Center.
She was born at home on May 21, 1933 in Midland, MI, a daughter of John Josef and Hazel Amanda (Holmes) Grebe and grew up surrounded by a large extended family of German immigrants. The year before college she spent abroad visiting the Philippines, India, Lebanon, Egypt and Europe. Her travels broadened her understanding of the world and gave her a lifelong gratitude for all the people she befriended and a love of helping those she met in life.
She graduated with a BA from Albion College in Albion, MI in 1955. She married Dwight Tyler Hendricks and raised their family. During the tensions of the late 1970s their marriage ended in divorce. In her 40s, she got her PhD in Sociology from Wayne State in Detroit, MI, graduating in 1980. She held research positions in a wide range of social surveys in and near Detroit, then became a professor at Urbana University in the early 80s, working until 2006. She aimed to help her students see the broader world around them. During her teaching, she befriend many of her students, including Urbana’s international students. In retirement, she continued to help students, as a landlord. Her home was originally built in the 1890s as four apartments which were often filled with students.
Survivors include daughter, Dawn M. Hendricks; son, Steven T. (Kena) Hendricks; 3 grandchildren, Caleb Hendricks, William Creel Hendricks and Bessie Hendricks; and her brother, James Grebe.
She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, John Grebe; sister, Ruth (Grebe) (Davis) Lewis; and sister, Carolyn (Grebe) (Leovy) Moloney.
A private service will be held at the convenience of the family, who is being served by WALTER & LEWIS FUNERAL HOME, Urbana.
Memorial contributions may be made in Joanne’s memory to the library at Urbana University, 579 College Way, Urbana, OH 43078.