5/1936

On Thursday, March 26, 1936, death came unexpectedly for Peninsular Club member Gusrtave A. Hendricks, prominent in the Grand Rapids furniture industry, and long a time member of the Club.

Mr. Hendricks was a native of Huntington, Ind., and first came to Grand Rapids in 1903 as a sales representative of Burroughs Adding Machine Co. Next year he organized the Adjustable Table Co., and later the White Steel. Sanitary Furniture Co., of which he maintained management up to his death.

In 1924 and 1925 Mr. Hendricks organized the Fine Arts Furniture Corporation and built the Pantlind Exhibition building and Fine Arts building. He had planned these as two units of a magnificent furniture building 34 stories high which he planned to erect on the site of the Civic Auditorium, but the depression delayed fruition of these plans.

In addition to his Peninsular Club affiliation, Mr. Hendricks was a member of the Elks, Cascade and Highlands Country Clubs and Grand Rapids Real Estate Board. He was an ardent sportsman and conservationist, and was appointed by former Gov. Fred W. Green as chairman of the Mackinac Island State Park Commission. He entertained frequently at his summer home, Octagon Castle, at Bitely.

Mr. Hendricks is survived by the widow, Mrs. Gertrude M. Hendricks; a son Gustave A. Hendricks, Jr., and a daughter, Carolyn.

Transcriber: Barb Jones
Created: 7 July 2009
URL: http://kent.migenweb.net/obituaries/hendricksGA.html