Born July 27, 1941, Saralou {Smith} Hendrickson passed away on February 20, 2026. She was a loving and faithful wife to the late Carl Henry Hendrickson, who died on April 19, 2025; a grateful mother to Carl Henry (Hal) Hendrickson Jr. (Brenda), Joseph Louis Hendrickson (Susan), and John Martin Hendrickson (Heather); and a joyful grandmother to Tanner, Paige, Josephine, Cecilia, Norah, and Nathan Hendrickson. She is also survived by her brothers, John and Louie, and her sister, Theresa, and was preceded in death by her sister, Mary Beth.
Saralou loved being a wife, mother, grandmother, nurse, and friend. She was a devoted Catholic and a practitioner of contemplative prayer, finding meaning in quiet reflection and service. She took deep pride in caring for her family and her patients, and she worked thoughtfully to make her neighborhood a good place to live.
She treasured art, music, books, and the outdoors. St. Louis was her home, and she delighted in its cultural life, while also savoring travel—especially memorable trips to London, Paris, and the eastern Mediterranean. Saralou had a wonderfully off kilter sense of humor and a particular affection for puns and irony.
She hoped to be remembered by her favorite motto, true to her sense of irony: “No good deed goes unpunished,” and by the Bible verse that guided her life: “In the end there are but three things that last: faith, hope, and love; and the greatest of these is love.”
Arrangements will be private per her request. The family suggest memorial contributions to the American Heart Association.