The family of John Hendrickson released this obituary on Tuesday. The husband of the late Marylou Whitney died on Monday, August 19. He was 59 years old.
John F. Hendrickson died of cardiac arrest on Monday, August 19, 2024, in Saratoga Springs, NY. He was 59 years old. John’s sudden death hit him hard. He was known for his sharp mind, tireless sense of humor, endless energy and generosity. A community celebration will be held on Friday, August 30, at the Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in Saratoga Springs, NY.
John was born on February 28, 1965 in Anchorage, Alaska to John (Jack) and Gwen Hendrickson. He grew up in Anchorage and spent many summer weekends on a family boat in Homer, pulling crab pots, fishing for halibut and salmon, and scouring the beach at China Poot Bay for clams with his brother Ed and sister Nancy.
From a young age, he was a natural leader with a rare combination of drive, vision, and the ability to get along with just about anyone. In 8th grade, he ran a professional campaign to become class president, complete with buttons, flyers, book covers, and a voting committee. At West High School, he became editor of the school newspaper, state tennis champion, prom king, class president, and valedictorian.
John graduated from CU Boulder before returning to Alaska, where he taught tennis and worked part-time as a model. In 1989, his charm and good looks landed him on an episode of Oprah called “Alaskan Men,” where he famously said, “I’m John Hendrickson, and I’m looking for a woman who doesn’t
Afraid to succeed.” It was as if John could foresee the future!
A manager at the Nick Bollettieri Tennis Academy saw the show and offered him a job. John was a particularly good coach, sharing the same court with Andre Agassi, Monica Seles and Jim Courier and, as always, forming many deep friendships with the students’ families. John eventually became a close friend of Nick’s and was the godfather of his two youngest children.
After a few years, John returned to Alaska to become a parliamentary aide and eventually special assistant to Governor Hickel. He became the governor’s closest confidant and worked on important policy issues such as the use of settlement funds to purchase land and support science in Prince William Sound and Kachemak Bay.
Through Governor Hickel, he met the love of his life: Marylou Whitney, the Queen of Saratoga. She was a long-time friend of Hickel’s and was visiting Alaska. Hickel knew they would get along well and the chemistry was instant.
Marylou began writing John love letters every day, even during her South Pole expedition with Norman Vaughn. After two years of courting, they announced their intention to marry, but had not yet set a date. John said, “There’s no problem. I’m a formal guy who wants to get down on one knee and buy the five-carat diamond I can’t afford.” John, always one to make big plans, proposed to her at a dinner party at Buckingham Palace. Governor Hickel married them soon after on a mountaintop in Alaska. They were soul mates, and Marylou said, “We’re just two people in love trying to get our share of the world’s happiness.”
For 22 years, John and Marylou were devoted to each other and lived extraordinary lives: traveling, designing their hilarious Christmas cards, enjoying the company of good friends, and running Whitney Industries. John helped return Whitney Stables to its former racing glory, culminating in Birdstone’s 2004 Belmont Stakes triumph, beating Smarty Jones and his attempt at the Triple Crown. All the while, they devoted their time to making others’ lives better. The two were unstoppable, often accomplishing what others thought was impossible. John did many things to honor Marylou, including commissioning a book about Marylou’s late husband, Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney, and designing the Marylou Whitney Rose. He was devastated when Marylou died, but he continued to honor her every day.
John had a ritual of walking 12 to 14 miles every day with his beloved dog, Lu Lu, wearing one of his funny, custom-designed t-shirts and often chatting at a friend’s house after the walk. He had a way of connecting with people from all walks of life and spreading love and laughter everywhere he went. He threw himself into the lives of his family and friends, often checking in daily with a text, a funny meme, or a phone call. John loved people, and they loved him back.
John’s greatest passion was his philanthropy, particularly for causes that improved healthcare, protected animals, and helped people in underserved communities. He was a force of nature and his generosity knew no bounds – from building a health clinic to funding a new hospital wing to tipping so high that service workers would often run after him, thinking he’d made a huge mistake. When asked about it, John would always say, “It won’t change my life, but it might change theirs.”
In 2017, John became president of the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame. Under his vision and leadership, the museum has modernized, expanded, and thrived. Today, it is one of the premier Hall of Fame museums in the country. Most recently, he was instrumental in creating a program that provides veterinary care for pit bulls through the Peggy Adams Animal Rescue League.
He cared most about the backstretch workers in Saratoga Springs – those who work at the race track – the drivers, grooms, errand boys and feeders. For them, he and Marylou created the Backstretch Recognition Program. And last year, John funded and built a world-class on-site medical clinic with free health care. During Saratoga’s racing season, he hosted a dinner every night for hundreds of backstretch workers to highlight their important efforts; and every Sunday and Wednesday, he celebrated with them.
He felt just as comfortable there, surrounded by these hard-working people, as he did in a boardroom or Buckingham Palace. John often quoted James Keller’s saying: “A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle.”
There was no man with a bigger heart or a bigger character. He was larger than life. And as one of his good friends often said, he made other people’s lives bigger too. The world has truly lost one of its greatest ambassadors of goodness. He will be missed.
John is survived by his mother Gwen, brother Ed, sister-in-law Michele, niece Christina (Sam), nephew John, beloved dog Lu Lu, and many aunts and uncles. He was predeceased by his father John and sister Nancy. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Backstretch Employees Service Team (BEST) in Saratoga, NY, Fix-a-bull program in Palm Beach, Florida, NY Race Track Chaplaincy, American Cancer Society, American Heart Association, or an organization that means something to you. No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.
