Clarence Eugene Hendrick Jr

Eugene "Gene" Hendrick Jr, 81, a resident of Brantley, Alabama, passed away unexpectedly at his home on Sunday, April 12th, 2026. Funeral services for Gene will be held at 11 AM on Thursday, April 16th, from the Chapel of Turners Funeral Home with Rev. Rocky Pierce officiating. Interment will follow in Bullock Friendship Cemetery with Turners Funeral Home of Luverne directing the services. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Wednesday, April 15th, from 6 to 8 PM.

Gene was a born artist with a gift for creativity in so many different formats. He developed his own sign painting business, Hendrick Signs, while he was working with Pepsi of Luverne before eventually leaving in 1984 to work his business full-time. Pepsi was smart enough to keep him employed to continue to paint all of their signs, and he was the go-to choice for nearly everyone in Crenshaw County until he finally decided to hang up his brushes. Before that happened though, he did manage to paint the giant Big Foot that stands to greet thousands of tourists every year outside of Old Gin Creek in Brantley.

Like I said, Gene's spirit of creativity covered multiple forms. He loved playing music on his steel guitar for many years, but it's likely his greatest gift was truly his legend as a consummate storyteller. No one could craft and tell a more entertaining story that Gene. Notice I said entertaining...not necessarily always true. After all, this is the same man who created a set of huge feet to make footprints in the creek beds around Brantley to give rise to whispers of the illusive Big Foot nearby! And never doubt that, no matter what the situation, Gene was gonna have a story for it. He was sharp as a knife and gregarious to a fault, but he was also a devoted husband, father, and uncle over the years. There was nothing he loved more than doting on the children and grandchildren of his heart and they all adored their "G" in return. Words could not properly express how much he will be missed by all those who knew and loved him, but his stories will live on in their hearts and minds for many more years to come.

Gene was preceded in death by his son, Christopher Hendrick; parents, Clarence "Dick" Hendrick Sr & Willa Dean Bryan Davis; and brothers, Ken Hendrick and Bill Hendrick. He is survived by his beloved wife of almost 46 years, Daffie Frazier Hendrick; the children of their hearts, Misti (Stetson) Sasser and Justin (Brittany) Frazier; grandchildren, Hawkins Sasser, Emmarie Sasser, Layke Frazier, Banks Frazier, and Ella Ridge Frazier; and numerous nieces, nephews, extended family members, and friends.