Former Engineering Faculty Member James Hendry Dies
James Davie Hendry, associate professor emeritus of electrical engineering technology at Old Dominion University, died March 9, 2012.
He was born May 8, 1928, in Providence, R.I., the son of William Davie Hendry and Helena Salmon Hendry. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Juanita Bussen Hendry of Catonsville, Md.; son Michael of Staunton, Va.; son James J. with Lorraine of Arlington, Va.; daughter Ginny of Chicago; and daughter-in-law Kathleen of Catonsville; grandsons James, Jonathan, Justin with Rebecca, Sean, Craig, Douglas and great-grandsons Levi and Isaac. He was predeceased by his son Stephen D. Hendry of Catonsville.
Hendry enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1946 and spent 27 years rising through the ranks from seaman to commander. He retired in 1972. He was a graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif., and earned a master's degree in electrical engineering from ODU.
Hendry joined the ODU faculty in 1978 and taught electrical engineering technology at the university for 10 years. He was promoted to associate professor in 1984. He served on the College of Engineering and Technology Scholarship Committee, including five years as chair. He also served on the Exit Writing Examination Committee and on the Faculty Senate.
During his time on the faculty, Hendry was a consultant to local industries and was active in local and regional activities of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. He received an international IEEE Outstanding Branch Counselor/Adviser Award in 1986 and the Virginia Council Outstanding Service Award in 1988.
Since moving to Catonsville in 1988, he was a member of Our Lady of Victory Church, the Renaissance Institute at the University of Notre Dame of Maryland, the IEEE and a volunteer at the National Electronics Museum. He was a stained-glass artist, skilled woodworker and recorder of family history.
A memorial gathering will be held from 3-5 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. Friday, March 16, at Sterling-Ashton-Schwab-Witzke Funeral Home of Catonsville Inc., 1630 Edmondson Ave., Catonsville, Md. A memorial Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 17, at Our Lady of Victory Catholic Church, 4414 Wilkens Ave., Baltimore. Interment will be at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery.
A guest book for sharing memories or expressing condolences is available at http://obits.dignitymemorial.com/dignity-memorial/obituary.aspx?n=James-Hendry&lc=4326&pid=156443789&mid=5027638&locale=en-US.