Jane Hendricks

Lillian “Jane” Bradshaw Hendricks was born on March 25, 1926 to Lillian and Bill Bradshaw in Belleville, New Jersey. Her brother, Herbert “Buddy” Bradshaw, was born the year after Jane, and Lil and Bill were thrilled with their little family. Jane grew up in Fair Haven, New Jersey and graduated from Rumson High School. When she was 14 years old she met Irwin Hendricks, who was 16 years old at the time. A mutual friend set them up at a church youth group. They hit it off right from the start, and were together from then, on. They fell in love in 1940 and near the end of 1942 Irwin had enlisted in the U.S. Navy to help fight the Second World War. During that time they corresponded through letters. Jane was faithful in her writing and sending drawings to help Irwin stay connected “back home”. Letters from Irwin were sent as often as possible while he was in the South Seas. Before he left for the Navy they had become engaged. They married in New Jersey on April 14th, 1945 at the end of the Great Depression. They did not have much money, so other than the Calla Lilies that Mom carried, the church was filled with white lilacs by Irwin and his mom who cut fresh blooms from their own yard and brought them to the wedding. As they boarded the train for their honeymoon to New York City, friends and family sent them off at the train station to wish them well. They had their first child, Pam, in January of 1946. Four years and one week after that their son Billy was born, and they thought they were done! Surprise…another daughter, Kim, came along 13 years after Billy.
As Irwin’s truck body building business grew, Jane and Irwin moved from their small River Plaza house to what they named “Jay Win” farm, a combination of their names. It was 7 acres of land that they turned into a beautiful property with a ranch home, a barn, a pool, and picnic area that hosted hundreds of guests throughout their 28 years at their New Jersey homestead. Jane and Irwin enjoyed entertaining in every season and for any reason. They continued their hospitality and enjoyment of life when they retired to Anna Maria Island, Florida. Jane took care of her mother-in-law, Ruth, for 10 years in her home, and they were good friends.
Jane didn’t work much outside the home, but there was a short stint that she was really proud of where she sold real estate. She earned enough money to buy a lot of quality colonial furniture for their beautiful ranch house the family refers to as “933” for short, or “933 West Front Street” to be more exact. The home was featured in the newspaper, showcasing Jane’s excellent taste in decorating. After that, Jane was perfectly satisfied to let Irwin be the bread-winner. Jane was the home-maker and entertainment coordinator for their parties and events. Running 933 was truly a management position…she just didn’t receive a paycheck for it.
An important part of Mom’s life was her spiritual life. In the 1960’s she realized that something was missing in her “religion”, and she made the decision to accept Christ as the Savior and Lord of her life. This was a major experience that shaped the rest of her years. In 1971 Kim and Jane flew to Maui to visit Pam where she was a teacher in a missionary school. Jane and Kim were baptized together in a lagoon in Hawaii, publicly marking their decision and commitment to follow Jesus. Jane prayed for Irwin to also come to know Christ in a personal way, and in the late 1980’s he too made this decision. This was a huge turning point for their marriage and they began to grow together in following Christ. They had over 20 years of their 67 year marriage spent loving the Lord and serving Him together. One of the ways they served was by collecting and driving donations to an orphanage in central Florida. For this reason they chose for donations to be made in lieu of flowers to the Baptist Children’s Home in Lakeland, Florida upon their deaths. They also made provisions in their will for part of their estate to go there as well.
Soon after Irwin became a Christian he was diagnosed with Prostate Cancer. Jane and Irwin battled it together, and extended his life by 20+ years. In that time, Dad lost several functions within his body, but their lives were never richer in love and care for one another. When Dad battled infections in his leg in 2010 and 2011 culminating in a leg amputation, Jane was his caregiver and care coordinator. All this done in her mid-80’s, just ten years ago. When he passed away in 2012 Jane lived alone for three years, until it became evident that she needed someone to be in the house with her, which she graciously accepted, thankful that her daughter Pam was willing and able to take care of her.
In 2018 Jane fell and broke her hip, and then the following year was diagnosed with Lung Cancer. She was a trooper in facing both challenges, and it wasn’t until the end of 2021 that she really began to give in to the health issues.
Jane loved so many things in life but a few things became signature items …a cardinal, a butterfly, or a bell. She deeply loved her family, one and all, and held her friends close in heart from childhood until old age. She loved the Lord most of all, and spent hours each morning reading her Bible, her devotional books, and praying for loved ones. She is now completely at Home and hopes that you will join her there one day because of having your own relationship with Christ, allowing the work He did on the cross to pay for your sin. She’d be the first to tell you that we can’t earn our way to Heaven if she hasn’t already.
Jane is survived by her daughter, Pam Hendricks, her daughter, Kim Ford and her husband Nathan Ford, her grandsons, Beau Hendricks, Drew Ford, and Shane Hendricks, her granddaughters Wendy Chalhoub (husband, Michel Chalhoub), Katie Dinkel (husband, Seth Dinkel), Jenna Simmons (husband, Matt Simmons), and Hayley Hendricks, and her daughters-in-law, Liz Hendricks and Cathy Hendricks. Additional family members include: Great Grandchildren: Emily and Nate Chalhoub, Wyatt Hendricks, Paul and Silas Dinkel, and Lillian, Nate, and Joey Simmons. Beloved Nieces and Nephews: Judy Boeddinghaus, Glenn Hendricks, Peter Hendricks, Mark Hendricks, Debbie Kern, Mike Bradshaw, Chuck Bradshaw, along with their families, and many others who referred to her as “Aunt Jane”. Jane’s other surviving relatives on the Bradshaw side include Patti Bradshaw Zia and her family, and Jimmy Bradshaw, and his family.
Jane was preceded in death by her parents, Bill and Lillian Bradshaw, her father-in-law, Ed Hendricks and her mother-in-law, Ruth Hendricks, her brother, Bud Bradshaw (and his wife, Pearl), her husband, Irwin Hendricks in 2012, her brother-in-laws Dick Hendricks (and his wife Jean) and Ed Hendricks (and his wife Barbara), and her beloved son, Bill Hendricks in December of 2020. The family also wishes to acknowledge the special relationship with Dorothy Dotson who was considered an “adopted” daughter of Jane and Irwin. Dottie was like family, and preceded Jane in death in December 2019, buried in the Fairview Cemetery with the Hendricks family.
Jane lived a full life, with a great many joys, a number of sorrows, a family she loved, an enduring faith and relationship with God, and a spirit of kindness that radiated from her eyes and smile. She would want you to rejoice with her that she is now absent from her 95-year-old body, and her spirit is joyfully present with the Lord. She will be greatly missed by us and remembered with deep love and fond memories.
In lieu of flowers, Jane has requested that donations be made to the Baptist Children’s Home in Lakeland, Florida by going to www.onemorechild.org . A memorial service will be held at Lincroft Bible Church in Lincroft, New Jersey on Saturday, January 22nd, 11am. Burial will be immediately following the service at Fairview Cemetery in Middletown, New Jersey. A reception will follow at Lincroft Bible Church reception hall for family and friends of the deceased.