Mary Joyce Durden Hendrix

Mary Joyce Durden Hendrix Obituary

A lifelong resident of Tattnall County, Mary Joyce Durden Hendrix, 91, passed away at her residence in Cobbtown on July 5, 2025 due to complications from a recent heart attack.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Lester Eason Durden and Luvenia Youmans Durden, a sister, Nannie Lou Durden Collins (Gladston), brothers Tom Durden (Lucille Canute Durden), Lamar Eason Durden (Betty Strange), Kenneth Lawson Durden (Catherine Flanders) and her husband of 46 years, Walter Harry Hendrix.

Her childhood was witness to the Great Depression as well as World War II, and the hardships of those events greatly influenced her pragmatic and frugal nature for the entirety of her life. Upon graduation from Collins High School at the age of 16, Mrs. Hendrix attended Berry College in Rome where she obtained her associates degree in education. During summer breaks, she continued her education at Georgia Southern University where she received her bachelor's degree in education and her coveted Georgia Lifetime Teaching Certificate.

At the age of 18, she returned home and began her 35 year long teaching career at the Cobbtown School where she served as principal for its final year before consolidation moved students to Collins Elementary School. While there she provided literacy skills for the children of North Tattnall County as the Title One Reading Specialist.

Mrs. Hendrix enjoyed a wide variety of activities including cooking, cane pole fishing in the Ohoopee River, as well as playing the slot machines in Las Vegas where she recently spent her 90th birthday with her family and friends. She was also fond of reading the Tattnall Journal every week and watching her favorite TV shows including The Price is Right, Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy, Judge Judy as well as any classic movies from the Golden Era of Hollywood.. In recent years, she also enjoyed scanning the news on Facebook with her Ipad.

Mrs Hendrix is survived by her niece and neighbor, Jeanette Lamb, a daughter, Melanie Joyce Hendrix and two sons, Perkins Hudak Hendrix and Doy Ott Hendrix (Beverly Wallace), her special cousin and traveling buddy, Lanieve Schneider, as well as 6 grandchildren and several nieces and nephews.

In later years, Mrs Hendrix received special care and love from several individuals who facilitated her ability to remain in the house where she was born. They include Mary O. Waters and Gayle Collins who became more like members of the family as they selflessly gave of their time to help when needed. More recently, Doug Gilleland, Tracy Hardy, and India Cone were instrumental in providing the best possible support for her needs.

The family will host a traditional all night wake/celebration of Mrs. Hendrix’s life on Friday evening, July 11 at the Durden House in Cobbtown. Visitation for the public will be held on Saturday, July 12 from 1pm to 3pm at the Kennedy Funeral Home Cobbtown Chapel with the service beginning at 3pm and interment in Sunlight Cemetery immediately afterwards.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that remembrances be shared with the Sunlight Cemetery Fund, P.O. Box 173, Cobbtown, Georgia 30420.

Kennedy Funeral Homes, Cobbtown Chapel, is in charge of the arrangements.