Bill and Deanie Hendrix celebrate the RV life, FMCA, and 70 years of marriage with a special gift from their daughter.
By Dana Hendrix, F761G1
February 2021
We were thrilled to have our family featured in the August 2019 issue of Family RVing (“All In The Family,” page 52). The article described how three generations have enjoyed RVing and membership in FMCA.
My paternal grandparents, Art and Mildred “Toots” Hendrix, F761, joined FMCA in 1965. My parents, Bill and Deanie, followed suit in 1977, and received member number F761S; the S stands for “son.” My parents joined about the same time as my aunt and uncle, Betty and Edwin Duncan, F761D; yes, the D designates “daughter.”
The family tradition continued in 2018 after FMCA opened membership to owners of towable RVs. F761G1 was issued to my husband, Eric Hepker, and me, and F761G2 went to my brother and sister-in-law, Brad and Suzi. The G in our membership numbers stands for “grandchild.”
The Hendrix name may be familiar to longtime members. For 30-plus years, my dad’s byline appeared regularly in FMCA’s magazine. He wrote more than 100 articles and compiled a monthly column, “Tech and Travel Tips.” In addition, for 23 years he and my mother were employed by Dometic as field service managers, and they worked at more than 575 rallies, including FMCA international conventions.
When we received extra copies of the August 2019 issue, I knew I needed to preserve a copy, yet somehow have it accessible. A hinged shadowbox in which to display the magazine did the trick. We presented Mom and Dad with this gift on August 20, 2020 — their 70th wedding anniversary — honoring a lifetime of service in the RV industry.
A copy of the August 2019 issue sits in the shadowbox for easy access and storage. The box contains other items as well; these fillers can be found in hobby stores. We believe the United States is the greatest nation on Earth; so, I chose a U.S. flag and a map of America, placed for protection under a cross. I personalized the address label on the front of the magazine with my parents’ names. I also inserted the words “The Legend” onto the banner below the map. Legend is the motorhome Dad purchased from the late country singer George Jones, who named it. This coach was the shining diamond of the 11 coaches my parents owned.
Bill and Deanie are no longer on the road. They miss the RV industry but are grateful for the vast number of friends they made from coast to coast. They tucked themselves into a lovely home a short 7 miles from my brother and me.
We enjoy our parents’ stories from those earlier years. Neither Brad nor I could ever duplicate their life itinerary. They were natural full-time RVers, and full-time workers, too! We remain blessed.