Carl M. Hendrix was born June 17, 1943, in Corvallis, Oregon, and went Home to be with the Lord on Friday, Nov. 6, 2026.
The son of Leota Sapp Hendrix and Claude Hendrix, Carl spent his earliest years on the family farm up Preacher Creek Road in Lobster Valley. His days were spent playing (and sometimes staying out of trouble) with lots of cousins. During his third-grade year, Carl’s family moved to Alsea. When he got a bit older, he’d catch a ride on a truck heading to Lobster so he could spend time with the cousins still living in the valley. Much of that time was spent working and playing at the Bowen dairy farm.
Hunting, fishing and hard work were part of Carl’s DNA from the beginning. Whether he was on a boat in ice-cold weather chasing steelhead or walking through the woods on a crisp fall morning, the outdoors were a huge part of his life.
Carl married his high school sweetheart, Sharon, on March 7, 1964, and they started their family the following year. Carl worked at Alsea Lumber Co. in Lobster and then in the woods until the late 1960s, when he built and operated Hendrix Lumber Co. just south of Alsea with his father and brother.
In 1979, the family moved to Philomath. When the timber industry declined in the 1980s, Carl and Sharon opened Nikie’s House Daycare. For more than 20 years, they cared for little ones in their home, and Carl became “Papa” to dozens of adoring toddlers. With a big heart and unending patience, Carl fed babies, changed diapers, kept the climbing tree trimmed and always had a smile and a kind word for parents.
The most recent chapter of Carl’s work life found him once again side by side with Sharon, this time recycling scrap metal and taking it to Burcham’s Metals. Carl did everything in his power to have things perfect before they delivered a load to Jay. Just last week, Carl said, “I made some real good friends there.”
Carl met Jesus in 2019. He was baptized shortly after and became a member of Living Faith Community Church in Philomath. When he could no longer attend church in person, Carl and Sharon enjoyed watching the Brooklyn Tabernacle online together.
Carl’s family meant everything to him, and he meant everything to us. He leaves behind Sharon, his wife of 62 years; daughter Carla (Roger); son Keith (Danell); grandchildren Caitlin (Brett), Matthew, Hunter and Aleah; and great-grandsons Jordan and Jackson. We couldn’t have asked for a better husband, dad, grandpa and grandpa-grandpa. Carl is also survived by his sister, Joyce; brother, Rex; nieces; nephews; and too many cousins to count.
A celebration of life will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, at College United Methodist Church in Philomath. Immediately after the service, everyone is invited to join the family for a light lunch in the church’s fellowship hall.