Wikipedia

Norma Hendricks

Norma Carroll Hendricks (26 March 1911– 15 August 1990) was a columnist/journalist for the Lake Sentinel (an edition of the Orlando Sentinel) and the Daily Commercial as well as the first female mayor of Leesburg, Florida (the second in all of Lake County, Florida).[1] In 2005, she was inducted into Lake County Women's Hall of Fame by the Lake County Commission.[2]

Norma Hendricks
Norma Hendricks, wearing one of her many hats.
Career
JournalistJournalist from 1951-Late 1960s
MayorMayor of Leesburg, Florida in 1965
Personal details
Born
Norma Carroll Canaday

March 26, 1911
Florida
DiedAugust 15, 1990
Leesburg, Florida
Resting placeLone Oak Cemetery, Leesburg, Florida
SpouseLeonard G. Hendricks
ChildrenC. Gay Hendricks, Michael Hendricks
Alma materLeesburg High School
OccupationPolitician, journalist, columnist
NicknameHat Lady

Journalistic career

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Hendricks had a family history of journalism with a grandfather from Chattanooga, Tennessee who worked on a local paper there as editor and a sister who worked on the Daily Commercial's society page.[3] Her sister was the one to help get Hendricks connected with the Daily Commercial, which eventually led her to getting on the staff full time in 1951.[3]

In high school, Hendricks' first experience in the journalism field came from working for the school's paper, Lake Breezes.[3] After becoming windowed in 1944, Hendricks found an interest in journalism while working as a society editor with her local newspaper, where she encountered cops on a regular basis by spending time at the police station and following them to scenes they were called to.[4]

While on the staff of the Daily Commercial, Hendricks reported on many topics, such as police reporting and local goings-on that would later become local history.[5]

Political career

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While working for the Orlando Sentinel, Hendricks reported on city commission meeting frequently, becoming familiar with how cities were ran. In 1962, she decided to run for city council, becoming the first woman to be on the Leesburg City Commission.[1] [6] During her time on the council, the mayor at the time passed away unexpectedly. Norma then became the first female mayor of Leesburg, Florida pro tem.[7]

Personal life

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Norma celebrating Valentine's Day with one of her hats.(Courtesy of the Leesburg Heritage Society)

Hendricks was married to her husband, Leonard Gay Hendricks, in January of 1936 and was widowed in 1944.[4][8][9] While Leonard was still alive, the two of them had two sons, Calvin Michael Hendricks and Carroll Gay Hendricks.[10] She farmed the small orange grove her husband had gifted her a few years after they had been married[7] for a short time after Leonard's death but did not make a profit.[4] Due to the low funds being brought in by the groves, Hendricks went into bookkeeping and secretary work.

Hendricks was known within her community, specifically among her readership, as the "Hat Lady" due to the amount of hats she would cycle through wearing.[11] Her signature when writing her columns was a picture of her wearing a different kind of hat.[4]

She was also involved in multiple clubs and societies, such as the Lake County Historical Society, which she was president of from 1983 to 1984,[12] a member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy,[11] an active member of her church, and working in local radio.[6]

The Leesburg Board of Realtors awarded Hendricks with the Citizen of the Year title in 1983.[13]

References

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  1. ^ a b Potter, M.J. (10 March 1968). "The Women Mayors of Central Florida". The Orlando Sentinel. p. 61. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  2. ^ Hardin, Anita (23 October 2018) [8 June 2007]. "County looking for woman's best friends". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 10 November 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Reed, Rick (8 April 2018). "Lake County history: Did you know?". Daily Commercial. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d Morris, Bob (27 October 1985). "Story Never Ends for 74-year-old Wearer of Many Hats". News-Press. p. 97. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  5. ^ Reed, Rick (7 April 2019). "Lake County history: Did you know?". Daily Commercial. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  6. ^ a b "Norma Hendricks". Alabama Journal. 17 August 1990. p. 20.
  7. ^ a b Associated Press (17 August 1990). "Florida Columnist Norma Hendricks Dies". News-Press. p. 23.
  8. ^ "Florida Marriages, 1830-1993", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:23HT-CHK : Sat Mar 09 06:52:46 UTC 2024), Entry for L G Hendricks and Norma Carroll Canaday, 1936.
  9. ^ "Florida Death Index, 1877-1998," , FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VV9B-X19 : 25 December 2014), L. Gay Hendricks, 1944; from "Florida Death Index, 1877-1998," index, Ancestry (www.ancestry.com : 2004); citing vol. 1097, certificate number 10641, Florida Department of Health, Office of Vital Records, Jacksonville.
  10. ^ "United States Census, 1950", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6X23-RH1F : Wed Mar 20 11:19:40 UTC 2024), Entry for Orval C Hoover and Libbie Hoover, April 1, 1950.
  11. ^ a b "Leesburg Loses Legend - Columnist Hendricks, 79". The Orlando Sentinel. 17 August 1990. p. 20. Retrieved 29 October 2024.
  12. ^ Bloodsworth, Doris; Fleetwood, Connie (2013). "Chapter One: North Lake County". Legendary Locals of Lake County. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing. p. 10. ISBN 978-1-4671-0025-0.
  13. ^ Reed, Rick (22 January 2017). "Lake County History: Did you know?". Daily Commercial. pp. E6.
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