James Hendrix, former College of Engineering dean and Nebraska Engineering alum, died Aug. 30 in Omaha. He was 82.
Born in Louisville, Nebraska, in 1943, Hendrix left a lasting mark in the College of Engineering, where he earned bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in chemical engineering. He began his academic career at the University of Nevada, where he served as professor, department chair, and eventually Dean of the Mackay School of Mines.
In 1995, Hendrix returned to UNL as dean of the College of Engineering and Technology and remained in that role until 2002, staying on with Nebraska Engineering, continuing to teach and conduct research until his retirement in 2017. After retirement, he remained active as a consultant, sharing his expertise with colleagues and industry leaders.
He is survived by his wife of nearly 60 years, Judy; two daughters and their husbands; numerous children and his sister.
Services were held Sept. 13 at St. Paul United Methodist Church in Elmwood, Nebraska. A celebration of life will also be held Oct. 12 at the W.M. Keck Museum in Reno, Nevada. In lieu of flowers, it is requested memorials be sent to the family to establish scholarships for engineering students in James Hendrix’s name UNL and Nevada-Reno or that a tree be planted in his memory.