Richard F Hendershott

Richard F. Hendershott, born August 22, 1931 in Portland, Michigan, was the only child of Erwin J. and Helen M. (Peckham) Hendershott. Dick graduated from Western Michigan in 1953 with a BS in Elementary Teaching, and a MS from Western Michigan in 1959 in Education. He served in the U.S. Army with 11th Airborne Division during the Korean conflict for two years.

Dick fondly remembers his childhood summers spent on the north end of Torch Lake with his beach friends; building diving platforms, swimming, fishing, sailing, and canoeing. It was during his summers on Torch Lake that he met his future bride, Jeanne Harper, whose family had a cabin on the north end of Torch Lake too.

Richard (Dick) married Iva Jean Harper on November 26, 1958 and resided in their early years in Galesburg, Michigan. Both Dick and Jeanne were teachers. In 1960 the first of four sons, Stephen was born, soon followed by Richard C. (Rick), David, and Timothy.

Besides raising his family, Dick loved teaching and tennis. He was the captain of his Western Michigan College tennis team. His love of teaching led him to not only teach but to be a bus driver, tennis and assistant football coach and K-8 principal.

After 25 dedicated years as a principal in the Pontiac school system, (1963 - 1985), Dick and Jeanne retired to teach abroad. Their overseas teaching experiences were thoroughly enjoyable for both of them. They taught from 1985 -1991, in Yemen, Kuwait, and Egypt, always returning to Torch Lake in the summers to enjoy family and friends. Because of the invasion of Kuwait and the marriages of their sons, Dick and Jeanne spent some time back in the North from 1992- 1998 when Dick served as the Norwood Township Supervisor.

In 1998, Jeanne passed away unexpectedly and Dick went back overseas to teach in Puerto Rico and Honduras so he could continue to travel abroad and teach. In 2006, Dick reconnected with Marolyn Janes, a friend from his and Jeanne’s early days in Galesburg. He married Marolyn (Ewing) Janes in June, 2006 in Norwood, Michigan and resided on Torch Lake, Eastport, Michigan for ten years; Marolyn then passed away on August 10, 2016.

Dick is survived by his sons, Stephen & Elizabeth (Baker) Hendershott, David & Abigail (Peterson) Hendershott, Timothy & Britney (Black) Hendershott and his 11 grandchildren: Eric, Mitchell, Samuel, Jamie, Katelyn, Alexis, Rachel, Brady, Clay, Ulysses, and Tymon Hendershott; and two great grandsons, Baker Mathew and Beau Morgan Heasty.

Dick is preceded in death by his son, Richard (Rick) C. Hendershott, (63) who passed away March 15, 2025.

A Memorial service for Richard (Dick) and his son, Richard (Rick) will be held together at the Eastport Baptist Church on Monday, March 31, 2025 at 11:00 am. 

A Celebration of Life will be held in the summer at Torch Lake followed by a family burial service to be held in Parma, Michigan at Chapel Cemetery.

Donations in memory of Dick or Rick can be made to the Good Samaritan Family Services, P. O. Box 296, Ellsworth, Michigan, 49729 or Antrim Commission on Aging, Meals on Wheels, P.O. Box 614, Bellaire mi 49615

Arrangements are in the care of the Central Lake Chapel of Mortensen Funeral Homes. Please sign his online guestbook www.mortensenfuneralhomes.com.