Gertrude Hendrix

Gertrude Hendrix, 103, died Friday, Dec. 26, 2008 at Asbury Towers Retirement Community.

Ms. Hendrix was born May 24, 1905 to John William Hendrix and Ella Grace (O'Neal) Hendrix. For many years after her retirement, she lived on land near Putnamville that had been in her family since 1829.

She graduated from DePauw University in 1926 with a major in mathemathics, earning Phi Beta Kappa honors, and later recived masters degrees in mathematics and education from the University of Illinois.

After 26 years on the faculty of Eastern Illinois University, she was invited to become a senior member of the University of Illinois Committee on School Mathematics (UICSM), where she became one of the principal formulators of the "new mathematics." She retired from the university as research professor emerita in 1966 and returned to her land in Putnamville, where she raised and trained American Saddlebred horses. In addition she served as an educational consultant to UICSM, DePauw University and the Greencastle Community Schools.

She authored two books and over 20 mathematical articles. She was a member of Kappa Delta Pi, Pi Mu Epsilon and Kappa Mu Epsilon and received the Distinguished Life Achievement Award from the Illinois Council of Teachers of Mathematics as well as an Alumni Citation from DePauw.

Her brother, William Hendrix, preceded her in death.

Surviving are three nephews, James Hendrix, Jon Hendrix and William Hendrix.

A family service will be held at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to the Asbury Towers Memorial Fund, 102 W. Poplar St., Greencastle, IN 46135.