REMEMBERING SHARON PART 2

Thank you for all your kind responses and wonderful cards and notes. We as a family are having a wonderful time remembering too. We hope you enjoy the slides, if you want to view the entire slideshow click on "VIEW ALL IMAGES" and when you get to the link click on SLIDESHOW in the upper right hand cornor, and enjoy some wonderful memories of this incredible woman (no bias here!). As for the rest of us we are doing well, Greg and family and Stephanie and family will be returning to their homes on the weekend. We are greatful for our knowledge of "God's Plan of Happiness" and we continue to "MOVE FORWARD WITH FAITH."

Jon's Talk is included Below.

MOM

William Shakespeare once wrote: All the world's a stage,And all the men and women merely players:They have their exits and their entrances; And one man in his time plays many parts, His acts being seven ages.

The first stage in my life began before I was born. Mom and the doctors truly believed I was going to be a girl. Mom already had 2 sons and was excited to get her first beautiful girl. I can only imagine her shocking and open-mouthed expression when Dad welcomed their 3rd son into the world. Naturally, this didn’t stop Mom. She grew my hair out, put it in pony tails, and gave me dolls to play with. Most of you are probably saying to yourselves, “That explains everything.”

As I grew a few years older, I put away the dolls and thankfully moved onto sports. The 2nd stage I remember is the soccer stage. My older brothers both played on the Milwaukee Kicks and I could hardly wait until I was old enough. Finally I was and became part of the team. I remember one year after we had moved to California playing in a Regional playoff game. It was intense and the winner would play in the Rose Bowl. Our team unfortunately lost in double overtime and as we made our way to the parking lot, I caught a glimpse of my dad running after the referees red-faced and ready to do damage; however, true to form, Mom was able to chase him down and stop him before he would do something he would later regret. This would become Mom’s calling card. She always was there to stop any of us before we made a bad decision or do something we would later regret.

Which brings me to the teen-age years: 3rd stage. All 3 boys were in high school at the same time which brought its own set of challenges. Mom, however, was at almost every game and every play. She got up with my dad every morning before seminary to feed us breakfast and read from the scriptures. My dad loved to cook bacon and eggs and my mom loved to let him. I learned to read and love the scriptures but most importantly, I learned the lesson of sacrifice. My mom loved to sleep so I knew that her presence at the breakfast table at 5:30 in the morning was a huge sacrifice for her. She always put herself last and everyone else’s needs first. Even last Saturday, as she lay in the hospital bed suffering, she suddenly turned to me and asked, How I was doing? This typified my mom’s entire life.

The 4th stage was my missionary years. My mom loved the Lord and knew what service meant. In every calling she received from Relief Society President to Seminary Teacher to Primary Chorister, she magnified it and trusted in the Lord and therefore became the best “fill in the blank” there ever was. Because of this, she knew that there wasn’t anything better I could be doing than dedicating 2 years of my life to serve the people of the Canary Islands. All four sons served missions and I’m sure she was sad to see them go knowing that 2 years would indeed be a long time; however, the lesson that she instilled in us was the same as King Benjamin when he declared, “When you are in the service of your fellow beings, you are only in the service of your Lord.”

The 5th stage was my first years of marriage. I student taught at Laguna Hills High School and Mom and Dad were gracious enough to open their home to us. We lived there that year with our newborn baby girl, Jamie who is now almost 12 years old. I learned a lot that year as a young father as Mom would not only give me advice about marriage and sacrifice but show me through example what being an eternal partner and parent was all about. Many days I would catch her with Jamie on her lap reading to her one of her favorite books: I’ll Love You Forever. I truly believe that the mother in that book was indeed my mother as she: “Held her new granddaughter and very slowly rocked her back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. And while she held her, she sang:
I'll love you forever,I'll like you for always,As long as I'm living my baby you'll be.
I can say with 100% accuracy that Mom never broke that promise.
The 6th stage was Nana Camp. One week long every year where Nana invited all the grandkids to her home and entertained them for a week. This was my kids’ favorite week in the whole year. It wasn’t just a babysitting week. It was full of activities from sunup to sundown. My mom had an endless supply of energy. To this day, I have no idea where she found the reserves. As I kid, I never remember her telling me she was too tired to play a game with me or read me a book or sing me a song. And she displayed this energy for the grandkids all week long. She put on costumes, taught them crafts, was the dolphin the pool, taught the kids how to swim, and of course at night would lay with them and watch movies. We told my dad that it would now have to become Paga Camp and he almost fainted on the spot because he saw first-hand how much effort Mom would put into that week.
The 7th stage was this past year. Like the Lion in the Wizard of Oz, Mom displayed courage that I have never seen. Even in pain and suffering, Mom would brighten up the room and be on center stage. I never heard her complain one time knowing that Heavenly Father had a plan and trusted in Him. All of us were able to have a lot of time with her one-on-one this past year and those times were precious. My wife said it best when she remarked after having her own time with her, “Mom saw the best in everyone and knew their potential and through words and actions, helped each and everyone one of us see and realize that potential.” That was a great gift my mom had. She made you feel like you were the best person in the world. She made you feel special.
One of Mom’s favorite movies is Shawshank Redemption. Hope is the central theme throughout that movie. Hope was the central theme throughout Mom’s life. Just like Tim Robbins in the movie, Mom always made the best out of every situation that was thrown her way. She had hope that with the right attitude, things could and would get better. This hope grew into faith and ultimately into knowledge. She knew where she came from, why she was here, and where she was going. At the end of the movie, after learning this same valuable lesson of hope, Morgan Freeman says, “I hope I can cross the border. I hope to see my friend and shake his hand. I hope the Pacific is as blue as it is in my dreams. I hope.”
Just like Mom, my hope has also become knowledge and therefore I know there is no end to this strange eventful history. There is no last or ultimate stage. Shakespeare got it wrong.
I know I will cross the veil. I know I will see my mom and hug her tight. I know that heaven will be as beautiful as it is in my dreams. I know.
And I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ….Amen

REMEMBERING SHARON

We would like to express our sincere thanks to everyone who has been so thoughtful, gracious and attentive since the passing of Sharon. We were so pleased by the number of you who took time from your busy lives to attend her viewing and funeral it was indeed a beautiful tribute to her outstanding life. We have been overwhelmed by the number of cards, calls and emails. We are so thankful at this time for all of you and your support as we transition to the next phase of our lives. Yes, we are sad and we will miss her, but we are happy that she is out of pain and in a far better place catching up I'm sure with family and friends. Our challenge is to live our lives to be worthy of her. To that end, "WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH FAITH."
For those of you who were not at the funeral, we thought you might enjoy reading the tributes to Sharon given by her children. We will do that over the next couple of weeks.
The first will be the talk given by Greg.

Mom’s Funeral Talk

GM brothers and sisters.
I am grateful that my father and siblings have granted me the great honor of eulogizing mom – a clear recognition that I am my mother’s favorite.
I am grateful for the beautiful picture of my mom that graces her casket. When I saw it I said “That’s my mom!” So much energy, so much life and her radiance, the pure light that emanates from her, was always her greatest quality. That light is the light of Christ, it is the spark of fun, it is the flame of love. She brought this light to everything she did with the spaunk of a cougarette and the creativity of a theater and art major. It was a contagious enthusiasm – highly infectious and quickly spread. “And the light which shineth, which giveth you light, . . . fills the immensity of space” It’s no wonder that she loved the Wizard of Oz. She helped us see that for every gray scale Kansas in our lives just beyond the rainbow were Technicolor possibilities.
There is so much to express about my mother - most of which words can not tell and only the heart can comprehend. I would like to focus on her greatest passions family, fun and faith. So intertwined are these three to her that they are inseparable in a narrative of who my mom is.
My mother loved the family she was born into. She had two brothers that she adored all her life and a sister she always sought to understand. Her father provided her with a foundation of unwavering faith and her mother with an example of compassion and service. As she began her own family she brought with her this priceless dowry.
Mom was a tremendous helpmeet and the perfect complement to my father. She was never uncomfortable in any circumstance, whether it be in the presence of Presidents or the world’s poor. My father found himself in many leadership positions throughout their married life. Dad may have been in the front but it was mom that pulled the oars.
Mom is incredibly committed to her children. I felt that Elder Nelson in April conference rightly summarized her parenting philosophy. He said “Do not control your children. Instead, listen to them, help them to learn the gospel, inspire them and lead them toward eternal life. You are God’s agents in the care of children he has entrusted to you. Let His divine influence remain in your hearts as you teach and persuade.” My mom raised some of the best people I know. She did not shield us from life’s numerous challenges – she had every confidence that we would meet them and beat them. She wrote songs that she would regularly sing to us. Hendrickson’s never say can’t, for can’t is not our word, can’t is simply absurd” or “I make a difference, I make a difference, I am the one, I am the key.” To remind me of my potential she would often sing to me “Any little boy can be President.” I believed it of myself and so did she.
She had an active commitment to being a part of the lives of her grandchildren. She sought every opportunity to spend time with them when they were around. When she called, my children would eagerly wait for their time to talk to Nana on the phone. She attended births and blessings and baptisms. In the summers there was Nana Camp, where Nana conducted a multi-day sleepover extravaganza – complete with regalia, activities and grandmotherly teaching and expressions of love. After a grandchild turned 8 they attended general conference in Salt Lake with Nana and Paga. Nana knew the power of being in the presence of a prophet of God and wanted each of her grandchildren to feel and experience that power. My children regularly get out their conference binders nana made for their conference trips and recall with fondness this great coming of age experience.
Mom is a monkey – that’s our family mascot. Monkeys are nimble, work together, and always seem to be having good time – that’s us. She and my father’s direct progeny include a troop of 22 monkeys, including 6 children and 14 grandchildren. She will stand in the eternities as a mother to Hendrickson monkeys greater than the sands of the sea and vaster than the stars of the sky. Are you ready for that! In our last few days together we read from the Fabric of the Cosmos about the immensity of the universe, and the possibility of universes upon universes and we marveled at the endless nature of the promise of posterity the matched that grandeur. And for mom endless posterity means joy without end.
Mom exemplified our family motto “Bound with Honor.” Mom and I are big fans of the Bard. To give her greater courage while she was going through her transplant at the City of Hope we watched Henry the V together –we especially love Henry’s speech before the Saint Crispin Day battle.
By Jove, I am not covetous for goldNor care I who doth feed upon my cost;It yerns me not if men my garments wear;Such outward things dwell not in my desires.But if it be a sin to covet honour,I am the most offending soul alive.
Mom did not seek the honor of men but the honor of God. She trusted the Lord when he said “I, the Lord, delight to honor those who cserve me in righteousness and in truth unto the end. 6 Great shall be their reward and eternal shall be their glory. . . . and by my power will I make known unto them the secrets of my will—yea, even those things which eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor yet entered into the heart of man.” She kept her covenants, and encouraged those in covenant relationships with her to do the same. She made sure that clothing, totes, jewelry, and other sundries she gave to children and grandchildren bear the reminder that we are bound with eternal ties which now require only our lives honorable action to be realized.
Mom had a deep need to express the truths she understood. The challenge was, that the truths she knows best are those of the heart, which must be conveyed to the heart to be comprehended. While tremendously talented in conveying truth with creativity and power as a speaker (as can be attested to by any of her 7 years of seminary students – of which I am one) she longed to be able to express those same truths with the same creativity and power in writing. She took semesters of writing classes while I was in high school and spent hundreds of hours working on a book manuscript. Condensed, all her efforts were published as a short article in the Ensign. A rich and powerful piece about how one comprehends in times of pain and sorrow that the lives we live here frame our eternal possibilities.
I love my mom. She is my mentor, my friend and my cheerleader. I believe that I have done nothing so important in my life than to stand with others at my mom’s bed side and exercise the priesthood on her behalf. I have known few joys greater then to sit for hours by her bedside over the past year – just she and I – talking of things great and small. We read books of grand adventures in foreign lands and the simple life on a farm. She did her best to pass along what she learned at the BMW driving school and what she learned in the temple. We talked of our love and friendship and faith.
I am my mother’s son. I share in her passions, her talents and her faith, but she bought me with more than my birth. There were times when a boy, desperate and alone had lost his way. She searched for me and, in loving agony of spirit, found me and saved me. When I try to grasp the depths of the atonement of Jesus Christ I can only begin to comprehend it in the personage of my mom and her unremitting, unconditional love, devotion and service. She, more than any other, has represented the hands of the Lord in my life.
I can say, as John Quincy Adams did of his mom, “My mother was a minister of blessing to all human beings within her sphere of action. . . . She had no feelings but of kindness and beneficence. Yet her mind was as firm as her temper was mild and gentle. She. . . has been to me more than a mother. She has been a spirit from above watching over me for good, and contributing by mere consciousness of her existence, to the comfort of my life. . . . Never have I known another human being, the perpetual object of whose life, was so unremittingly to do good.”
My mother – I love you. Your physical presence will be greatly missed. Mother – Good night, good night, parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say good night till it is morrow. That glorious morrow of eternal reunion. Which I hope I am worthy of, in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

Sharon Hendrickson

Sharon Summerhays Hendrickson of Rancho Mirage CA passed away on October 12, 2008 in Rancho Mirage at the age of 62 after a long battle with leukemia. She was born January 19, 1946 in Pasadena CA to Richard S. and Miriam Maxwell Summerhays. She attended Pasadena Schools and graduated from Pasadena High School. She attended Brigham Young University and graduated from there in 1968. While at Brigham Young she met Blaine E Hendrickson whom she married on September 7, 1965 in The Latter-day Saint Temple in Los Angeles, CA. Sharon and Blaine moved to Rancho Mirage in 1998 after living most of their married life in Laguna Hills, CA. Sharon was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She will be remembered for her vibrant enthusiastic personality, her warm smile, her great laugh, and her committed service. She was a wonderful wife, mother and “nana”.
She is survived by her loving husband of 43 years Blaine E Hendrickson of Rancho Mirage, CA, 4 sons, Jeffery (Jennifer) of San Clemente, CA., Gregory (Becky) of Kealakekua, HI, Jonathan (Lou Ann) of Laguna Beach CA, and Richard of Rancho Mirage CA, 2 daughters, Stephanie (Eric) McClellan of Redlands CA and Shalaine (Cort) Green of Rancho Mirage, CA. She also leaves behind 14 wonderful grandchildren and 2 brothers and 1 sister.
Services will be held on Friday October 17, 2008 at 11:00 AM at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Chapel located at 72-960 Park View Drive Palm Desert, CA 92260. The Family will welcome friends and relatives on Thursday October 16 from 6:30 to 8:00 PM and from 9:30 to 10:30 AM on the 17that the same location. Dedication of the grave will occur at Desert Memorial Park at 2:30 PM. In lieu of flowers the family has requested donations be made to the Orange County/Inland Empire Chapter of the Make a Wish Foundation.

2 Timothy 4:7

"I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith."

We wanted to publicly thank all of you for your prayers, your fasts, your strength, and your testimonies. You have lifted us in our time of need. You have buoyed our spirits and helped us:

"Move forward with faith."

Mom, we will miss you every day, every hour, every moment. Your energy, your love, your friendship, and your pure love of Christ is unparalleled. Because of you, we will try a little harder, laugh a little louder, and love a little longer. That is your legacy. That is our inheritance.

Your family and friends will always remember your cackling laugh, your abounding love, and your utter joy of living.

Smile everyone. Our mom wouldn't want it any other way!

(note: In lieu of flowers, Sharon would like you to donate that money to her favorite charity "Make a Wish Foundation" You can view their website at http://www.wishoc.org/. If you do decide to donate, please make your pledge the the Orange County Inland Empire chapter. Thank you. We will also let everyone know either through the blog, email, or phone when the services will be. The date will most likely be at the end of this week on either Friday or Saturday here in Rancho Mirage at the LDS chapel on Monterey).

In the Arms of the Savior

I am sad to report that Mom is in the hospital. She was having trouble walking towards the end of this week and had a few falls. We also noticed she was quite swollen and didn't seem to be eliminating very much. She saw her Doctor on Thursday and he explained that due to poor nutrition and the amount of lasix she was on, her body was eliminating the fluid from her blood but it was going into her legs and lungs instead of through the kidneys. At that time he thought she was still okay to be at home and advised us to help her eat more and drink more fluids.
On Friday she started to become quite confused and was still not eliminating very much fluid from her body. We noticed she was having many of the same issues she had a year ago and feared that her kidneys were struggling. We decided to take her to the hospital and see if we could help her kidneys before they failed. She is under the close treatment of a kidney doctor and he is trying several things to get her kidneys functioning properly. Sadly, these treatments do not seem to be helping and our Mom is slipping from us quickly. In a few moments of lucidity yesterday morning we told her it was okay if she was done fighting, but in true mom fashion she said no...she still had fight in her and that she was strong. Even under the worst situations she lives up to her mantra of Never Saying Can't. He body has been greatly weakened over the past year and we don't know if her strong will can overcome a failing body. We know that the Saviors arms are around her and faithfully trust that whatever the Lord's will is, is what is best for all of us.
Thank you for your continued faith and prayers in her behalf. We know how much she has touched other's lives and pray that in your darkest moments you will trust in the Lord and move forward with faith.

HOME AGAIN, HOME AGAIN

Sharon was able to come home from the hospital on Saturday morning. In fact we were home in time to watch the morning session of General Conference, which in itself was something of a miracle. If you've ever tried to get out of hospital you will know what I am talking about. We were able to enjoy all sessions of conference which was pretty good considering the cable went out for a good part of the day around the valley. Thank you for having both cable and satellite. We were very inspired by the conference especially President Ucthdorf's talk on Hope. As to our health issues, they took an additional 700cc of fluid off of her right side making a total of 2100cc's from both sides. She is able to breathe more comfortably, but her left lung still has not expanded back. We are hopeful that by being home and moving around more and doing breathing exercises that we can get it to come back. That is pretty important if we are to get her off oxygen. She completed the round of dacogon and received 3 units of blood and a unit of platelets which should be good for a while. The white count has remained in the mid 40's not down much but more important not up. She has started on a small dose of the oral chemo drug, Hydrea, to hopefully jump start a trend down for the white count. She still has quite a cough and we're hopeful that it is helping to open up her lungs, otherwise it is very irritating. She is quite the trooper and continues to push forward without complaint. We are really looking forward to the week ahead, being back home and anxiously awaiting the arrival of our 14th grandchild which is scheduled for Wednesday. The family continues to grow which makes us appreciate how blessed we are. We look forward to the miracles that lie ahead and as always "WE CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH FAITH."