Former Buffalo Grove trustee a “quiet giant”

Charles R. Hendricks Sr., who served a decade on the Buffalo Grove Village Board and was known as a “quiet giant” in the community, died Friday at the age of 71.

Despite his many years in public service, Hendricks never wanted to be the center of attention and always made sure others were having a good time at social events, said friend John Green.

“He was the sort of person who never complained,” he said, noting Hendricks’ physical ailments such as the cancer that led him to leave the village board in 2001.

“He listened a lot and thought a lot,” added Green, who knew Hendricks through the Buffalo Grove Rotary Club, of which he was past president. “He liked to use his mind instead of depending on technology. When he was a village trustee he was slow to adapt to carrying his own computer and wanted to hear what people had to say and wanted to hear the whole dialogue before he made his mind up.” As a trustee, Hendricks acted as a liaison between the village board and the police and fire commission, on which he previously had served 12 years. He thought the work of those departments was very important, said DeAnn Glover, who served with Hendricks on the village board.

Village President Jeffrey Braiman also served with Hendricks.

“He was a delightful guy with a great sense of humor and a hard worker,” said Braiman. There had been some talk that the Cook County portion of the village was underrepresented on the board, and for many years Hendricks and the late Bill Reid were the “voice of Cook County,” he said.

State Rep. Sid Mathias, who was village president when Mr. Hendricks was on the board, called him a hardworking and valued trustee.

A former supervisor with AT&T, Hendricks was very family oriented and enjoyed attending events his children and grandchildren were involved with, said Dolores Hendricks, his wife of 47 years.

He also enjoyed golfing, visiting Key West and fishing with family and friends.

Hendricks honored his Norwegian heritage with “a mean glögg,” a traditional holiday drink, Green said.

Besides his wife, Hendricks is survived by three children, Mary Beth Strauss of Gurnee, Charles R. Hendricks Jr. of Buffalo Grove, and David Hendricks of Gurnee; and six grandchildren.

Visitation will be on Thursday, Jan. 26, from 9 a.m. until the time of a Masonic service at 11 a.m. at Glueckert Funeral Home, Ltd., 1520 N. Arlington Heights Road, Arlington Heights. Mr. Hendricks was past master of King Oscar Lodge #855.

Interment will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to a favorite charity. Information is available at GlueckertFH.com or (847) 253-0168.