Meredith College mourns the loss of Professor of Mathematics Tim Hendrix who passed away on July 16, 2023. He is remembered as a gifted educator who was much loved by his students. 

“The Meredith College community is deeply saddened by the loss of our stellar teacher, scholar, and friend Dr. Tim Hendrix,” said President Jo Allen. “Tim affected generations of math students, conveying both his own enthusiasm for the subject and inspiring confidence in his students.”  

A member of the faculty since 2002, Hendrix taught a wide range of courses in mathematics and mathematics education and served as the mathematics licensure program director and director of the general education program.

President Allen lauded Hendrix for his impact on the College. 

“His engagement in general education exemplifies the breadth of his appreciation for a mastery of a range of disciplines and his leadership in opening doors for generations of students,” Allen said. “Tim was a fine educator and an even more remarkable human being. We were blessed to have had him among us for so many years.”

Senior Vice President and Provost Matthew Poslusny recalls the impression Hendrix made during their first meeting.

“The impact of Tim’s loss to Meredith cannot be overstated. He was one of the finest people I knew and I was honored to be his colleague,” said Poslusny. “He was one of the first people I met at Meredith. At the time he was the Director of our QEP (Quality Enhancement Plan) and as such was in one of the groups that interviewed me. In that setting, I came away impressed with the person and the institution.”

Hendrix’s scholarly focus was on how students transition to advanced mathematical thinking, curriculum development, and the use of technology for conceptual understanding. He taught and worked with hundreds of pre-service teachers and in-service teachers in teacher education programs and professional development.

Alumna Allison Lawhorn is just one of the former students who has taken lessons learned from Hendrix into their own classrooms.

“Tim could make anyone fall in love with mathematics. He had such a gift for teaching mathematics and making those around him feel confident regardless of their mathematical abilities,” said Lawhorn. “He guided me to be the best math teacher I could be and continued to mentor me once I left Meredith. I will be forever grateful to have had him as a professor and mentor, but mostly as a friend. My life is better because Tim was in it. I will miss him every day, but I know that he will remain in my heart forever.” 

Professor of Mathematics Jennifer Hontz, who serves as head of the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science, remembers her friend and colleague as a “one of a kind” person who made every day better with his kindness, love of learning, and generosity of spirit.

Hontz said, “We are heartbroken at the loss of a beloved friend and colleague. I don’t have the words to express the magnitude of the loss many of us feel. Tim generously shared his mathematical and educational expertise with both students and colleagues. His talent for effective communication in all situations was second to none. Tim’s impact will live on in mathematics classrooms around the state as he inspired so many K-12 mathematics teachers to effectively teach mathematics.”

Professor of Practice Kristin Watkins said it wouldn’t be possible to fully convey Hendrix’s impact at Meredith.

“He was an inspirational educator who was fully devoted to his students and his profession. He was a natural leader with a gift for cultivating both energy and calm,” said Watkins. “Tim lived life passionately, bringing light with him wherever he went. Knowing Tim made us better students, better teachers, better colleagues, better friends, better human beings.”

Service Beyond Meredith College

In 2020, Hendrix was recognized with the Nadine Bezuk Excellence in Leadership and Service Award, which is presented by the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (AMTE). 

AMTE is the largest professional organization devoted to the improvement of mathematics teacher education. His contributions to the organization included six years as executive director, two terms as membership committee chair, and an appointment as the first AMTE website director. He was also an active member of the North Carolina Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCCTM), having served on its board of directors as a regional president and as statewide vice president for colleges and universities.

In addition to his work in higher education, Hendrix had a love for music, having completed degrees in both math and music at Wake Forest University and the University of Illinois. He served in music ministry at Greystone Baptist in Raleigh.