Joan W Hendricks

Joan W. Hendricks, 91, of East Moline passed away Saturday, June 15, 2024, surrounded by her loving family. She had a beautiful, fun-filled, very loving soul and spirit! 

Funeral services will be held at Esterdahl Mortuary and Crematory, Ltd., Moline on Saturday, August 31, 2024, at 1:00 pm. Visitation will be from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to the East Moline Public Library.

Joan Wilhelmina (Herrstrum) Hendricks was born on June 30, 1932, in Moline to Rudy and Ruth (Peterson) Herrstrum. She spent her childhood in Rockford, Illinois, where her family moved for her dad’s engineering job during the depression era. 

Joan attended Augustana College majoring in education. Her first teaching job was in a one room schoolhouse where she alone taught all 8 grades. She met her husband, Dr. Richard “Dick” Hendricks on a blind date. They married on July 11, 1953. They spent their first married years in Altus, Oklahoma, at the Air Force Strategic Air Command. After Dick was discharged, they settled in East Moline, where Dr. Hendricks established his dental practice in 1957.

Music was one of Joan’s life passions. She played many instruments, starting with the piano when she was young. In high school she won a scholarship to study piano at the American Conservatory of music in Chicago. She played the accordion for a folk-dance group, accompanied high school musicals and played the organ for a church in Rockford. She also played for churches in Oklahoma and in East Moline. She shared her musical talents with kids programs at her kid’s school and directing children’s choirs at her church.

Joan loved cooking and setting beautiful tables to entertain family and friends. She was an avid life-long learner, participating in book clubs, loved great discussions and read multiple newspapers. She volunteered for many organizations through the years – Junior Service League, Tri-City Symphony, Meals On Wheels and the Handicapped Children’s Foundation to name a few. Crafts were another hobby of Joan’s including sewing, knitting, painting and jewelry making.

She and Dick spent their retirement summers at their lake cabin in Minnesota until 2019, when she lost her wonderful husband of 66 years. 

Survivors include her sons, Tom R. Hendricks (Annie), Craig B. Hendricks (Sandy), and daughter Denise L. Pelham (Craig); grandchildren Andrea Gryp (Mike), Laura-Ann Nageia (Eduardo), Ross Hendricks (Christie), Mitchell Pelham, and Katie Pelham; great-grandchildren Evan, Ethan, Ana-Loren, Gavin, Vivianne, and Caroline Gryp; Marcelo, Giancarlo, and Leonardo Nageia; and sisters Carolyn Harkensee and Elaine Watson. 

Joan was preceded in death by her parents and husband. 

Memories may be shared online by visiting esterdahl.com.