Joe Donald Hendrix

Joe Donald Hendrix passed away suddenly on September 21, 2019 from a cardiac event.  A Memorial Service will be 4:00 pm Friday, September 27, 2019 at Grace Gardens Funeral Home with Rev. Wayne Williams officiating.  A reception will follow.  A visitation with the family will be 3:00 pm Friday, September 27, 2019 at Grace Gardens Funeral Home.

Joe was born in rural McLennan County to Walter W. Hendrix and Agnes R. Hendrix.  He spent his childhood in Asa, Texas (south of Waco, down S. 3rd St. Rd.), where his father owned a grocery store.  He attended Rosenthal Schools and moved to Valley Mills, TX as a teenager, where he excelled in baseball and graduated from high school in 1954.  Joe spent many hours sacking and delivering groceries for his family’s business at the store located on the corner of Hwy 6 and 56.

After graduating from Baylor in 1958, he began working for local CPA firm A.C. Upleger & Co. and soon became a partner.  After many mergers, this firm partnered with KPMG Peat Marwick.  In 1988, Joe retired from KPMG and conducted his own private accounting and tax practice in Waco for over 25 years.

Professionally, Joe was a member of the Texas Society of CPAs for 48 years, board member for 20 years, and president of the local Waco chapter.  He served on multiple boards, including the Woodway Board of Adjustment, Baylor Hankamer Alumni Board of Directors, and First National Bank of Bosque County Board of Directors.  Additionally, Joe was a Beta Alpha Psi member (an honorary national accounting society) and a long-standing member and former club president of Ridgewood Country Club.

His hobbies included golfing, boating, and watching Baylor sports (especially baseball and women’s basketball).  He enjoyed his small ranch west of Valley Mills on the Middle Bosque River and frequently vacationed at Port Aransas.  He was a member of First Methodist Church Waco and Renew Church Waco.

Joe was preceded in death by his parents and one sister, Billie O’Connor of Denver, Colorado.  He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Paula Rawls Hendrix of Waco; son Brian Hendrix of Victoria; daughter Carolyn Walker and husband, Van of Crawford; grandson Kolby Walker and wife, Brooklee of Frisco; granddaughter Bethany Walker; and brother Jim Hendrix of Dallas.

Memorials may be made to Renew Church Waco or Baylor University Athletics.