Bill+Hendren

William F. Hendren,
Born June 26, 1928. Grew up on the far south side of Chicago, in an area called Beverly Hills.The Great Depression had the effect of rendering me a fiscal conservative.I pay my bills on time in full and never go into debt, except for a home, which seems I good idea in the current economy. I had a normal childhood, until I was sent to a military academy for my high years. I was a day student and I hated it with a passion. I went to Carleton College and majored in Economics, but my main interest was running track and cross country. I graduated with horrible grades and was immediately drafted for the Korean War, but was sent to Trieste in Europe. From there I traveled all over Europe. When I got out of the army in 1952, I began working for Swift & Co, the meat packers as a salesman. I was sent to Urbana, Il,and later to Fostoria, O, but it never seemed "right". I was involved with the local Presbyterian church, teaching Sunday school and master of the Cub Pack. I remember the day the "call to ministry" hit me. It was the conclusion of a number of events and left me worried as to my future. It was as if I said to God, "All right of this is the way you want me to go, then I give in; but it is your fault if I fail!" Right now Swift & Co transferred me back to Chicago. I was the youngest salesman to get a promotion and I wasn't excited about it. I knew God had me in the right direction, when I applied to PSR and they accepted me on probation. I married then a talented woman, in 1956, named Aleen Lettsome and she went with me to PSR and taught school. I graduated from PSR cum laude in 1959. I went back to the Midwest and became pastor of the North Berwyn Congregational Church, and was in that church for six years, when I got the opportunity to go back to California and become pastor of the beginning Church of the Foothills in Ventura. We had three children by then, Robert, Jean & Allen. I must say that in all respects Aleen, my wife, was a major source of creative energy. Not only was she innovative, but she had boundless energy. All this came to a halt when she developed breast cancer in 1979 and died in 1984 of bone cancer. I married again in 1986, to Heather Whipple, and we are very much in love after 22 years. I retired in 1989 and fill in at the church for preaching, weddings, funerals etc. Bill Hendren