E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSSA New York man, well known for joking, passes away on the way to his late wife's wake, but the quick-thinking family gives the jokester a worthy send-off. WNYT's Mark Mulholland reports.
Norman Hendrickson was known for telling jokes and never wasting money. So when he died suddenly while en route to his wife's funeral, the couple's daughters knew there was only one thing to do: Hold a doubleheader service.
The 94-year-old World War II veteran's impromptu wake was held Saturday at the same eastern New York funeral home where his wife Gwen's funeral was already scheduled. She was 89 when she died on Feb. 8. After Norman died just steps from the funeral home, the daughters decided their parents would be mourned together at the same time.
The daughters said it was a fitting way to say goodbye to a couple who had been together since meeting in Europe during World War II and who had been married for nearly 66 years.
"After we had a little time to process the shock and horror, we felt we couldn't have written a more perfect script," Norma Howland told the Post-Star of Glens Falls. "My sister said the only thing he didn't do was fall into the casket."
Norman, a former assistant postmaster in Cambridge, 35 miles northeast of Albany, was being driven in a limousine to the Ackley and Ross Funeral Home for his wife's service when he stopped breathing. After the limo pulled up, funeral director Jim Gariepy, who is also the local coroner, and funeral home owner Elizabeth Nichols-Ross helped move Norman to the sidewalk outside the business.
Gariepy began CPR while Nichols-Ross and one Norman's sons-in-law raced across town to retrieve his do-not-resuscitate orders from the Hendricksons' refrigerator door. Once the orders were in hand, an emergency crew that had arrived ceased attempts to revive Norman. He died on the sidewalk.
Nichols-Ross said daughter Merrilyne Hendrickson then requested that her father's body be put into a casket and placed in the viewing room with her mother's cremated remains, which had been placed in an urn. Mourners who started arriving soon after for Gwen's funeral were greeted by a note Merrilyne posted at the entrance: "Surprise — It's a doubleheader — Gwen and Norman Hendrickson — Feb. 16, 2013."
Norma Hendrickson / Reuters
Gwen and Norman Hendrickson pose for a photograph in their backyard in Cambridge, New York, in this undated family handout photo.
Nichols-Ross said she didn't charge the family for Norman's wake. On his prayer card, she jokingly wrote that Hendrickson got the idea to die in the limo headed to the funeral so he could get "a buy-one-get-one-free deal."
"If it had happened with somebody else like this it would have been sad, but with Norm it wasn't," Nichols-Ross said. "It was just so much like Norm."
Norman was overseas with the U.S. Army when he met Gwen, who was serving in the British Royal Air Force. She immigrated to the U.S. and they were married in May 1947.
Howland said her parents had jokingly promised to never leave one spouse behind. After her mother died, Howland said she overheard her father say aloud, "We have had a good long life together. I love you. I'll miss you and watch for me."
Leave a Comment:
Amazing and beautiful story. Truth really is stranger than fiction. What a great family.
Absolutely. It had to be hard on the daughters but, this sounds like a true love story. How awful to be 94 years old and find yourself without you lifelong partner. Thank You for your service and for the example of what marriage is really all about. We can all learn something from this. RIP and enjoy the renunion....
She wasn't leaving without her man. Beautiful story!
known for telling jokes and never wasting money.
the family raced across town to get the do not revive orders.
they tossed him in a casket and had his funeral for free.
Sounds like some family members really wanted their inheritance.
Only a cynical idiot like AirThief could make something sinister out of this story.
Climb back under your rock slug!
I have been reading some of the posts here and it is just crazy. No Autopsy is needed. To me this is sounds something just out of a movie, anyone see the "Notebook?".
I am sure the family was grieving and they sound like a wonderful family with the humor put into the srvice and then the "Doubleheader". I am sure they are sad over their loss, the commect about inhertance was rediculous. The man had a DNR note on the fridge. The man was 94 years old. He knew he lived a full life.
What a wonderful life it must have been. He was with his wife for 66 years, WOW! He loved her so much I am sure and just could not bear living without her and she could not go without him.
Now they are together. GOD BLESS THEM BOTH.
R.I.P.
What a wonderful story. I have shed a tear on this one.
He chose to die when he did. He saw no life ahead without his beloved.
Not even death could separate them. This has happened many times-even in my own family.
What a wonderful story, now their corpses can decay congruently for eternity.
Reunited in heaven.
May God bless their souls and families!!!
Wow!
Very sad Story but It seems odd that no one performed an autopsy. I hope this was done after the fact to rule out any foul play.
The man was 94 years old, no an autopsy should not have been performed. After 66 years being with her I am sure he would rather be dead than to live life alone. I have been with my wife for 16 years and she is my everything, I couldn't imagine having to wake in the morning without her there. Props to the family for the humor and may God bring them both into his everlasting kingdom.
An autopsy to "rule out foul play"???? REALLY? Wow! I'm sure the family, in their distraught, thought to just go ahead and bop dad on the head and get it over with! Sometimes God just allows people to go at the same time, as per their wishes. I knew a couple that did just this. He died of cancer and she died the next day in her sleep. They always said they didn't want to live if the other died. God gave them their hearts desire.
Really? What the heck is wrong with you?
The man was 94 years old! what do you think he died of?Chris Rock said,his uncle died at the age of 105 somebody asked what did he die of?
An autopsy? At 94? It is not rare for elderly couples, especially those who have been together for a very long time to die within days of each other. My grandparents died the very same week. They had been together over 60 years. I love the humor and joy in which the family celebrated their life together.
He was 94. Seriously...his wife just died and they have been together 66 years. An autopsy? If he did something who cares? If someone else did...why? They get to be together and that is a wonderful thing after all those years. I am all for autopsies if they make a difference, but this one doesn't. He wouldn't have lasted long without her anyway...let them go together. He had DNR orders written..let him rest in peace with his wife.
Jag // Phantom: Thanks for your input. You should work for the government. They have no common sense either and like to waste money on idiotic items for reasons that make no sense. The masses are @sses.
Phantom;
The name suits your vanished IQ. Why do all you idiots think that every death requires an autopsy? Even all the states have agreed that when a coroner has reason to believe that a death was of natural causes no autopsy should be performed unless specifically requested by the next of kin, & then usually at their expense, of course it may be also requested by law enforcement. In the absence of such a request it simply isn't necessary. Additionally many people, such as myself, simply don't believe in them. When I die they are welcome to take a blood draw, in the event I have been shot they can take an x-ray & remove the bullet for forensics, a stab wound can be examined & measured. Beyond that it is against my personal religious beliefs. To be blunt, I would rather a murder got away with it. I realize that many would not share the entirety of my view but I do hope that when my time comes my beliefs will be respected.
Another point I would like to make is that I was in the medical field for a good while & it is common knowledge that many autopsy's are performed purely for reasons of research & or training. While you may think it ignoble of me I'd prefer they do their research & training else where.
Your not serious are you?
mikeo;
Serious as a heart attack !
Phantom, how is this a sad story? I see just the opposite. Everyone dies, and it seems that this man died with very little suffering, on his own terms, after a very long life and marriage, to be with the one he apparently couldn't live without. Unless you believe that death is ALWAYS sad...this one just isn't.
Norman died of a broken heart No autopies needed. Let hem be together in Heave, I truly believe that being buried together, same serviced is very important to their children, family and friends. I have read many, many stories when one spouse just cannot carry on with out their other spouse.
They are in my heart and prayers, as so is their familoy amd friends.
God Bless you all Sandy Castor Carson City, NV 89705l
They were old. Let them rest in peace together. My grandparents died within 30 days of each other. Life is funny that way. I doubt that anyone killed the old man.
Here's your sign.
I think Jag and Phantom watch too much TV.
Phantom209 and Jag - What's odd is that, in light of a story that has many other rich facets to it, you choose to focus on this. And Jag, before you say the laws were "bend", consider that this is probably considered an "attended" death as there were medical personnel there, and there were no suspicious circumstances. This was a wonderful love story. Of all the ways you can leave this world, leaving together certainly isn't the worst.
Phantom, thats dark logic you got their, but you do have a point.
And the point is?? An autopsy? Men especially don't do well in old old age after being widowed.
What point does he have? What reason to we have to believe there was foul play involved?
No doubt, probably just stopped eating since she wasn't there to cook for him. Ran out of tunafish and crackers then starved.
My Great Grandfather of 100 (and was still going strong) died in his lazy boy chair, my grandma found him, after everybody walked over the crime area took what they wanted later that night when the funeral home was preparing him for the funeral they found three bullet holes in the back of his head then there was a autopsy done, but most of the evidence was destroyed!
Almost like "The Notebook" movie. That's cool.
Foul play? Really they were 89 and 94! She passed away from "natural" causes and he died of a broken heart. No mystery there, just true love.
I agree.
Not sure any 'foul play' in this one...the gentlman WAS 94 years old after all. Maybe he really just didn't want her to go alone after being together for most of their life.
Very sad indeed, but the family knows they are still together (where ever that might be) taking care of each other as they always have.
This is an idiotic and disrespectful title. Shame on you for callously describing two funerals as a "doubleheader". This is not a baseball game you're talking about, but is sure is "bush-league" journalism.
In the article it notes that the daughters put up a sign saying "Surprise — It's a doubleheader — Gwen and Norman Hendrickson — Feb. 16, 2013." The writer simply used their terms.
Jonnybee: did you read the article? The daughter coined the phrase, not the author.
The daughter said that her father had a sense of humor & liked to tell jokes. She just carried on his tradition, most likely as her father would have wanted.
Jonny, The daughters made the comment. They knew their father. It is a wonderful thing that they could find some humor in all of this. They lost both parents in less than a week....yeesh. I lost my father twenty years ago and am still grieving...Can't imagine the depth and breadth of their loss. Pray for this family and let them deal with it in their own way.
They were in a good mood and joking because they knew payday was coming sooner than they thought.
AirThief,
There is something very wrong with you. Their parents died of old age and they did things the way their parents would have wanted. In addition, the kids are likely 50 to 60 years old are probably past the point of needing any kind of inheritance. For all you know, there may not even be much of an inheritance because the parents lived so long.
I guess reading the whole article might have been in order...
@AirThief
If you are attempting humor, you fail miserably...if you're serious, you're sicker than a rabid dog.
Disrespectful and idiotic title for this article. Shame on you for describing two funerals so callously and flippantly calling them a "doubleheader". This isn't a baseball game and shows blatant disregard for the family. This is "bush league" journalism.
Dude - the family posted that at the entrance...did you read the article?
Death is something that all of us will do. It seems as if these people were celebrating the life that was lived by these two, rather than focusing on the end...that seems like a good thing to me.
Really, Jonnybee? Even though the couple's daughter herself used the phrase "Doubleheader" in her note on the door at the funeral home notifying incoming mourners of the change in plans? You can't blame the reporter for reporting what actually happened.
Johnny - just keep posting the same idiotic statement, seems to be working really well for you. READ THE ARTICLE before posting such a stupid comment.
jonny bee seems would be alot of fun at parties - lighten up, people take things way to seriously - jonny when your gone your gone - move on ............. or dont tell me a angel /heaven believen pro lifer - wild guess -
Why make a fool out of yourself once when you can make it doubleheader!
A wonderful story!
RIP both of you...together in death as you were in life
The family themselves used "doubleheader" in the sign at the funeral home. Nothing wrong with using it here. There's no disrespect if they're following the family's lead.
A great story - sad and beautiful at the same time.
This family has the same macabre sense of humor that my family does, when it comes to death and dying. My Grandparents were killed together in an auto accident, they died the way they lived, TOGETHER. My Grandparents were married for 50some years and were best friends. The jokes we tell raise eyebrows on people who don't know them or us.
Great article!
I lost my partner of 30 years last year. He would have appreciated the 'double-header' and so would I. Sometimes all a family has left is a sense of humor. After 66 years together it was only appropriate that they not be separated in death. May their love story last forever in the history of their family.
My condolences tosh.... You sound like a wonderful person. I only wish you could have had more time with your love....RIP.
My wife and I have been together for 49 years so far and if she goes first,I think that i would want to soon follow. She is my everything and what would my life be with out her? I suppose that I not only have a great wife but have her as a great friend. RIP dear couple.
Not me, I would head to Vegas and find me a hooker with a huge rack to drown my sorrow.
My Mother & Father were married 55 years when dad passed away. My mom speaks frequently how she yearns to be with him. My dad used to call my mom "his star". Whenever anyone speaks of dad her eyes just beam with pride and longing to be near him. While they shared their time here they were living examples of how marriage is suppose to be. I know that I would have a difficult time going on without my wife of nearly 38 years.
cldean07 I respect and love your comments. In this rugged and unpleasant world of today I appreciated going that trail too. One cannot trust another of today's patterns in life.
God works on strange ways sometimes
I wish this had happened for my Grandparents...they were married 67 years to the day when my Gram's died this past New Year's Eve. Grampa still asks us every day if anyone has called to tell her he's ok and that he would call her if he could.
It sounds like this couple got what they wanted and the family is handling it exactly as their parents would've wanted!
such a sad and touching story. he loved her so much he couldnt bear to live without her. it gives me hope hearing they were married for 66yrs,especially this day and age when ppl think getting married is just something to do.
@phantom- my sister in law died in our house unexpectedly and when we called the ambulence,they did not try to revive her,they just had us call a funeral home.no ME to verify her death,no autopsy either. which i thought when someone dies at home its automatically done just to rule out foul play. so i hear ya on your comment
RIP together now...
Depends on your state law but autopsies are most often done when there is an unattended death or clearly suspicious circumstances. Dropping dead at 94 en route to your spouse's funeral is not suspicious and undoubtedly they had both been under medical care for years.
In many states an unsuspicious death's autopsy is usually not a physical procedure. It is often a question and answer affair from health history and medical records.
Beautiful! How fitting that this couple left this life together after so many years together on earth! As hard it must be for their children & surviving families, there surely is some comfort in knowing their parents are truly together forever.
Perfect ending to a long life. Take care of wife's funeral and follow her into the grave.
What a romantic story! And what a wonderful family who were able to honor their father's humor and frugal lifestyle in this manner. Absolutely heartwarming all the way around!
What a touching story. RIP with your true love.
:') beautiful story.
This is pretty spooky. Can you imagine showing up to mourn one person and finding out that suddenly someone else is dead? Creepy.
Neat story. They did have a very long and happy life together...and humor prevails. That's why they lived so long ;>
And just look at their picture. They look so happy.