Harold Charles “Chuck” Hendryx (1944–2026)
Chuck was born in Portland, Oregon in 1944, but soon afterward his family moved to Cannon Beach, where he spent what he liked to call his “Wonder Bread” years. Cannon Beach in the 1950s was a small, isolated coastal town, and Chuck remembered those years fondly, often comparing them to an episode of Happy Days. Photographs from that period show a smiling boy with strings of fish caught in Elk Creek, proudly displaying his bicycle, or posing with his father’s hunting rifle. He was often up before dawn searching the beach for glass floats washed ashore by winter storms. As a teenager, he worked at the Safeway store in Seaside, where he met Gordon Smith. What began as a friendship eventually became a business partnership that lasted more than 60 years.
After graduating from Seaside High School, Chuck moved to Bakersfield, California, where he lived with his sister Marie and helped her raise her five children while working for the family soft-drink business. Always the favorite uncle, he added joy to the lives of each of those kids in many ways; rides in his new convertible Corvair, rides on his motorcycle, camping trips in the Sierra Nevada, a new pool table in the garage, a shuffle board in the family room and summer-night dance parties on the patio. Chuck also balanced his time in Bakersfield with his commitment to serving in the National Guard, frequently returning home on weekends to help Marie and the family before driving through the night to be back at the base in time for duty.
Later, he returned to the grocery business, a career that eventually brought him back to Oregon. While living in Lancaster, California, Chuck married the love of his life, Christine McKnight. Together, they built a life that took them from California to Vernonia, Oregon, where Chuck reconnected with Gordon, and the two became business partners as well as lifelong friends. Chuck spent many years managing stores, while Chris built her own career in education, serving as a counselor, teacher, and principal.
While in Vernonia, they welcomed two children, Chason and Carissa, and they filled their family life with camping trips, road trips, vacations, and outdoor adventures. Later moves took the family to Clatskanie, where Chuck continued in the grocery business and took on a “novel” business venture. Always an early adopter of technology, he partnered with Roy Sinclair, and together they introduced the internet(!) to their small town in the early 1990s through Clatskanie.com. Eventually, retirement brought Chuck and Chris to Seattle, but it did little to dampen their energy and zest for life. There, they remodeled two more houses, bringing their lifetime total to five.
There were always projects underway, repairs to make, places to go, and events like their children’s weddings to plan. Need a ride from the airport at 3 a.m.? Chuck was there. Car left somewhere across the state? Chuck would bring it back to Seattle, wash it, and change the wiper blades. Need your house rewired? No problem. Wheel fall off your radio-controlled car? There was a good chance Chuck had the exact bolt in a drawer, saved for just such an occasion. He was “Mr. Fix It,” and if he couldn’t fix it himself, he would find someone who could. Even into his eighties, he was climbing ladders to sweep leaves and twigs from the roof of his beach cabin—and scolding anyone who offered to steady either him or the ladder.
Retirement also gave Chuck and Chris more opportunities to travel. Europe, Alaska, visits with family in Southern California, and, of course, frequent trips to Hawaii and to their beloved Rockaway Beach hideaway. He often said the beach was his true “happy place,” and even after Chris passed away, he returned often—for plenty of chores, bridge building, willow removal and just a little rest and relaxation around the backyard campfire in the evenings.
Chuck’s children and grandchildren enjoyed numerous visits to the Rockaway Beach cabin; many days spent beachcombing, adventuring and helping to maintain the property. Sunsets led to walks on the beach followed by a campfire to cook his famous s’mores after dinner, while telling stories describing his youthful adventures growing up on the Oregon coast.
Tropical adventures in Kona, Hawaii brought days of swimming, island explorations and gathering on the lanai to watch the sunset, always hoping for a glimpse of the green flash as the sun disappeared over the horizon. At home in West Seattle, Chuck’s beloved grandchildren made every visit an adventure, whether in the basement game room or outside playing games that Chuck invented, especially the famous “washer game;” in which orange painted washers were rolled down the long driveway to see who could roll the farthest, accompanied by raucous laughter echoing through the neighborhood. One of our favorite recent memories is from his final birthday party on April 3, when he and “the boys” spent hours in the driveway building the small racecars that they later roared down the driveway, long after midnight. It was a testament to Chuck’s “No Bad Days” spirit – he was always there to make sure that everyone was having as much fun as possible.
Chuck is survived by his son, Chason Hendryx; daughter-in-law, Aubrey Seffernick; and their three sons, his beloved grandsons Conrad, Holden, and Jonah Hendryx; his daughter, Carissa (Hendryx) Schmuck; son-in-law, Rob Schmuck; and their son, his beloved grandson August Schmuck; as well as many cherished extended family members and dear friends. Chuck’s nephew, Jeff Vendsel, and Jeff’s wife, Stephanie Ballenger, moved from Saint Croix, VI, to Seattle two years ago, and after Chris’s death, they became welcome companions to Chuck and were instrumental in helping keep him comfortable and cared for at home during his final weeks in hospice.
In the end, cancer was the only thing that could finally slow Chuck down. Even then, he remained determined to be the person he had always been. That is how we will remember him: self-reliant, independent, strong, kind, and generous—our “Mr. Fix It,” always with another project to tackle and a chilled glass of wine ready for anyone who stopped by for a visit. He will be greatly missed.
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