Robert Wheeler Hendershott

Robert Wheeler Hendershott was born December 9, 1918, in Bend, Oregon, and died on November 4, 2012 in Seattle at age 93, after a short but courageous battle with bladder cancer. Bob was the son of Gustav and Mathilda Berg of Bend. After the early passing of his birth mother, his father gave up Bob for adoption by Dr. Roy Hendershott & Mrs. Ethel Hendershott of Bend. Bob grew up in the family home on Newport Drive in Bend. Bob graduated from Bend Senior High School in 1937, where he was student body president, an all-state football player and twice the Oregon state champion in the pole vault. He attended the University of Oregon where he played football and pole vaulted, was president of the Sigma Chi fraternity and graduated in 1941 with a degree in health and physical education. After service in the U.S. Navy in World War II, Bob earned a Masters Degree in education from the University of Washington in 1950. Bob married his lifelong sweetheart Margaret Fuller-who was born in Bend three days after Bob-on July 10, 1942. They were married for 65 years. They were the parents of sons Robert (1943) and Jon (1946). Margaret (2007) and Robert (2011) preceded Bob in passing. Bob is survived by son Jon of Mountain View, California; by daughter-in-law Connie Hendershott of Brier; by granddaughters Kristen Yarbrough of Olympia, Washington, and Megan Rudikoff (Roger) of Stanwood, Washington; great-grandchildren Kayla, Alexxa, Izaiah, Zackary and Kailey; and by numerous nieces and nephews, and grandnieces and grandnephews. While serving during World War II as an observation plane pilot in the South Pacific aboard the light cruiser, U.S.S. Santa Fe, Bob was awarded the Navys Distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal and later in life a Purple Heart. After the war, Bob taught physical education at Klamath Union High School in Klamath Falls from 1946-54, where he also coached football and track. He led the football team to the state quarterfinals in 1948. He was inducted into the Bend High athletic and school halls of fame and the Klamath Union High athletic hall of fame. In 1955, Bob joined the physical education staff at the University of Washington, where he taught until his retirement in 1981. While at the UW, he served as an assistant coach in both track and swimming. Bob also retired from the U.S. Naval Reserve with the rank of Commander. Besides holding a limitless love for his family, Bob shared a great love for the Hawaiian islands with his wife Margaret. Their yearly trip to the islands was among his greatest joys. He also enjoyed watching college football, especially the annual Oregon-Washington game, plus professional baseball games and collegiate and international-level track and field. He also loved attending soccer, baseball and softball games played by his great grandchildren. And he enjoyed rounds of golf with other retired UW professors, as well as sharing Naval experiences with fellow members of the U.S. Cruiser Sailors Association. Bobs ashes will be inurned on Saturday, May 4 at 12:00 p.m., in the family plot at Pilot Butte Cemetery. Attendees are welcome to wear Hawaiian clothes in recognition of Bob & Margarets love for the islands. In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made in Bobs name to a charity of the givers choice. Funeral Home: Niswonger-Reynolds Funeral Home New 105 NW Irving Ave Bend, OR US 97701

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Robert Wheeler Hendershott

December 9, 1918 - November 4, 2012