Elee Hendricks

Elee Hendricks Obituary

The one and only Elee Allen Hendricks was born on Thursday, September 13^th, 1934 to Perry Allen and Litha Bryant Allen.  Elee’s mother Litha Allen wanted her children to be born in Scooba, Mississippi where Litha was born.  So, Litha went to Mississippi once again to have her third and last child.  After Elee’s birth, they came back to East St. Louis, Illinois to the Goose Hill neighborhood where they lived.

              Elee was the baby girl and she was “slightly” spoiled by her granddaddy Walter Allen.  Her granddaddy would not allow his son Perry, nor his daughter in-law Litha to “whup” Elee while around him.  Well, as it turned out, Elee didn’t get many whuppins at all while growing up.  Let her tell it, she never ever got a whuppin because she really tried to be a good girl.  In fact, her parents confirmed this.

              Elee received her education in District 189.  Elee was part of the first class to integrate East St. Louis High School.  Elee was an independent person.  While growing up on Goose Hill, she was a very good athlete.  She played several sports, but her favorite sport to play was basketball.   It just so happened that she met her first and only boyfriend on the basketball court—Oliver Hendricks.  Oliver was a lettered basketball star himself.  Well, they grew closer and closer and got married in 1951.  Oh, what a close relationship this was down through the years!  They stuck with each other through all the ups and downs, for decades.  To this union, Adrian was born, then Terence, then Roslyn, then the baby girl Marilyn.

              This family of six was a very tight knit, loving family; a family truly blessed by the Lord.  Elee was an awesome and dedicated mother.  She was a stay-at-home mom.  But, she worked outside of the house when necessary.  She worked for a while at the East St. Louis Housing Authority.  She worked for the East St. Louis Township, and she worked for the United States Post Office.  She supported her husband by working tirelessly in his many political campaigns.  Oliver was a Precinct Committeeman, and he became the President of the Board of Alderman of East St. Louis, Illinois.

              Now Elee was blessed with an abundance of discernment.  She could see you—the real you!  Sometimes people would get quite upset with her when she told us the uncomfortable truth about ourselves!  Oh well.  Elee was loved by so many.  She was a neighborhood mom.  She was also a very good politician in her own right, believe it or not.  Elee gave her life to Christ and was a very dedicated church member.  She was a member of Southern Mission, and when her family moved to the Orr Weathers, she joined the loving Macedonia Baptist Church, where she served on the usher board for about 60 years.  She loved Macedonia and she also loved King Baptist Church in Denver, Colorado where three of her children served.

              Elee truly loved others and was generous to others.  Her home was opened to so many where we had many fun times.  Elee is a wonderful example of kindness.  She will be missed.  She was preceded in her departure by her awesome mother Litha, her kind father Perry, her sister Martha, her granddaughter Erin, and her husband Oliver. 

On January 10, 2024, 20 years later, in the same month and the same city as her husband’s departure, Elee went home to be with the Lord, surrounded by her family.  She leaves to cherish her precious memories: her brother Robert (Alma) Allen; her four children Rev. Adrian (Dr. Laurain) Hendricks, Pastor Terence (Wendy) Hendricks, Roslyn (Ernest) Jones, and Marilyn (Gerald) Hanns; 11 grandchildren:  Terence Brown, LaTaunya Hendricks, Rev. Jerry Davis, Rev. Terence Hendricks, Jr., Ernest Jones, III, Rev. Dr. Adrian C. Hendricks, II, Justin Jones, Deon Hampton, Keria Burkhalter, Brandon Jones, and Leah Hawkins; 27 great-grandchildren; great-great grandchildren, god-children, and a host of other relatives and friends, including Truman, Mary and Pam.  We thank the Lord for blessing us with Elee!!!