Buddy Hendrickson

Buddy Hendrickson, 64, of Pierre, S.D., died Friday, April 19th at Avera St. Mary’s Hospital. Visitation began at 6:00 p.m. with a Prayer service following at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 23rd at River Center Church in Pierre. Funeral services were at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, April 24th. Burial took place at the Midland Cemetery in Midland, S.D.

Arrangements have been placed in the care of Isburg Funeral Chapel. Online condolences may be made at www.isburgfuneralchapels.com.

Buddy Lee Hendrickson was born on May 19, 1954 to Billie and Betty (Harmon) Hendrickson in Buffalo, Missouri.

He graduated from Buffalo High School in 1972. He was active in FFA, football, and wrestling. He may have been small of stature, but he was strong, quick on his feet, and had a lot of heart.

He took that heart and gave it to God when he was fourteen years old. He loved God with all his life and in all he did, trying his best to honor the Lord and loving people as Jesus would.

This farm boy would have been content living in Buffalo all his life, mentoring young men and making time for relationships with people around him; but God called him in 2004 to move to Pierre and be a part of River Center Church where he continued to pour his life into loving people and ministering to the hurting. He was zealous about foreign missions, going abroad to Mexico, Ukraine, and the Bahamas to obey God’s call. Loving God and loving people formed the center of his life.

He loved using his hobbies to share God’s love with people through dirt bike racing, hunting, golfing with clubs or discs, and playing racquetball and softball. Whether he was climbing the cliffs of the Ozark Mountains with his bike or entertaining stadium crowds jumping over a line-up of 15 cars on that bike, he did it all with zeal and held nothing back.

Buddy was an incredibly hard worker, driving trucks of all kinds throughout his life and delivering goods and services to all types of people, allowing him to meet and minister to everyone around him. No matter how he felt in his body, he always persevered and never gave up.

As a loving husband, father, and grandfather, Buddy was passionate about his family. He always made time to play with his kids and grandkids, being intimately involved in their daily lives despite the physical distance between them.

Faye, the love of his life, walked into his place of work, and God told him his life would never be the same. They had their first date in January of 1988 and were married on February 19, 1988, and grew more in love with each passing year. They raised their three kids together in Missouri in a loving home, built by his own hands, centered around their faith and love for God.

Buddy is survived by his mother, Betty Hendrickson, of Buffalo, Mo.; his wife, Faye Hendrickson, of Pierre; his three children: Chad (Winter) Hendrickson of Huron, S.D., Amanda (Nathan) Stitt of Buffalo, Mo., and Lacynda (Matt) Carmack of Brandon, Fla.; 10 grandchildren, his brother Bobby Hendrickson of Elkland, Mo., and his sister Brenda (Robin) Allie of Ft. Walton Beach, Fla.

Buddy was preceded in death by his father, Billie Hendrickson, and his grandparents.