Sioux Falls: July 14, 1925 - Jan. 29, 2025

Arlene ‘Susie’ Hendrickson

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Arlene “Susie” Hendrickson, 99, died peacefully, Wednesday, Jan. 29, 2025, at her home at Legends on Lake Lorrane in Sioux Falls, SD, surrounded by her family and devoted caregivers.
Susie was born Arlene Marie Brogla on July 14, 1925, in Cosgrove, Iowa, raised on her mother and father’s farm, graduated from high school in Cosgrove and then attended Marycrest College for one year. While working at the University of Iowa Susie met, fell in love with and married John P. Hendrickson, a lanky farm boy and WW II veteran from North Dakota working on his PhD at the University of Iowa in 1952. Susie and Phil’s first posting was at Wooster College in Ohio and then on to South Dakota State Teacher’s College (SDSU) in Brookings, SD, where they would spend the rest of their lives together. The consummate homemaker raising three children, Susie was involved in SDSU faculty women, St. Thomas Moore Parish and three bridge clubs.
An accomplished seamstress who also knitted and crocheted Susie applied her passion for sewing working at Brost Fabrics, the Linen Closet and then JoAnn Fabrics. At JoAnn Fabrics she loved helping young girls find the perfect pattern and fabric for their home economics or 4-H project. Well into her 90’s Susie could be found working in her yard, tending her flower gardens and even mowing her own lawn. She was fastidious and took loving care of her property inside and out. She particularly loved her “Wednesdays On The Porch” group, a gathering of dear friends on her back porch every Wednesday with pony beers and popcorn. She dearly loved her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and spent considerable time with all of them. A trip to Grandma’s meant homemade strawberry jam, applesauce, angel food cake, ironed sheets, a trip to Nick’s and her famous Santa Claus cookies at Christmas.
Susie was all things SDSU. A devoted Jack’s fan (particularly women’s basketball) and an avid supporter of the SDSU music and theatre departments she rarely missed a game or event. Following Phil’s death in 2002, Susie established the JP Hendrickson Scholarship Fund and was very active promoting the scholarship and interacting with award recipients.
Kind but tough, sharp as a tack, devoted, loyal and faithful, in her 99 years Susie left her mark on this world and everyone she came in contact with not the least of whom were her family.
Susie is survived by; her three children, Becky, John (Lisa Harless) and Chuck (Marcia Schuetts); her seven grandchildren, Ann Hendrickson Hoffman (Brett), Katie Daniel (John), Joe Hendrickson (Katelynd Whitehead), John Philip Hendrickson, III (Brenna Fitzpatrick), Patrick Hendrickson (Chloe Tom), Mac Hendrickson (Ellis Burnett) and Kate Hendrickson Haggerty (Patrick Haggerty); her nine great-grandchildren, Philip Hoffman, Betty Hoffman, Lucy Daniel, Henry Daniel, Jace Hendrickson, Jett Hendrickson, John Philip Hendrickson IV, Francis Hendrickson and Mickey Hendrickson. Susie was preceded in death by her husband, Phil Hendrickson, her father Charles Brogla, her mother Irene (nee O’Brien) Brogla and her brother Vernon Brogla.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Brookings, SD, on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, at 11 a.m. with interment immediately following Mass at Greenwood Cemetery in Brookings and a reception at Prairie Landings Clubhouse following interment. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the JP Hendrickson Scholarship fund at SDSU.
Condolences may be sent to the family through www.eidsnessfuneralhome.com.