David M. Hendricks, a devoted husband and father known for his calm, quiet presence, passed away peacefully at his home in Corpus Christi, Texas, on July 9, 2023. He was 89.

He was born in Lakeport, California, on February 5, 1934, and attended the local schools. A lifelong swimmer, he got himself into trouble once when he swam along the shores of Clear Lake from home to attend class at his nearby elementary school. David developed his life-long love for music during high school, when he played trombone and was part of the high school marching band.

Following high school graduation, David attended Santa Rosa Junior College for two years where he played on the basketball team and trained as a land surveyor. He served in the U.S. Army's 1st Calvary Division for two years at the end of the Korean war era and was stationed in Japan. His previous training helped him get the job of artillery surveyor rather than as a clerk, his initial Army assignment. In memory of this time, he was known for occasionally saying "hello" and "good morning" and a few other phrases in Japanese to his family.

After his Army stint, David attended the University of California, Davis, where he participated on the swimming and water polo teams and joined Theta Xi fraternity. Life wasn't all swimming laps and studying. While attending UC Davis, he met his wife, Hilda "Kay" Hendricks, during a church outing. They celebrated 63 years marriage last September.

David received his bachelor's degree in 1960 and master's degree in 1962 from UC Davis. In 1966, after also receiving his doctorate in soil science from UC Davis, David was hired as an associate professor of soil sciences for the University of Arizona in Tucson, Ariz. He taught both graduate and undergraduate courses at the U of A. Throughout his career, he published or contributed to multiple research papers and articles on the chemical composition and formation of the volcanic soils of Arizona, California, and Hawaii. He also published a book, Arizona Soils, a definitive resource on the nature and distribution of soil throughout the state of Arizona. During the mid-1980s, he was one of the scientists who participated in the site soil survey for a group hoping to build the super collider in Arizona.

In his free time, David, a baritone, sang in the choir at the Christ Church United Methodist in Tucson, and played the lead role in the "George and the Dragon" musical at church. He also tended his backyard garden, growing grapes, green beans, corn, and supersized summer squash. Always the scientist, he also was famous for making his Saturday morning pancakes based on a recipe that he researched and tested on his family.

David was well known for his dry sense of humor. If a telephone salesperson made the mistake of asking for the "lady of the house," his response was "will the laddie of the house do?"

David and Kay moved to Corpus Christi in 2021 to closer to their youngest daughter and her family. David is survived by his wife and three daughters, Marian Hendricks Berry (Dale) of Corpus Christi, Kathy H. Mills (Max) of Phoenix, Ariz., and Suzanne H. Eamigh (Robert) of Orlando, Florida. He also is survived by grandsons Taylor Berry and David Berry of Corpus Christi, granddaughter Aubrey Berry of San Antonio, and grandson James (Anna) Berry of Miami, Florida, and two great-grandchildren, Leilani and Koa Berry.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the Viera Senior Living community in Corpus Christi on Sunday, July 23, 2023 at 3pm.