Rosemary K. Hendrix

Born March 14th, 1934, in Marquette, a daughter of Gregory and Vasiliki (Kosmas) Kromidas, Rosemary was raised in Marquette, until the age of 7 when the family relocated to Pensacola, Florida. In her pre-teen years, she contracted polio and dealt with its residual effects for the rest of her life. As a young married woman, she balanced raising her family with going to school to achieve certification as a licensed practical nurse. She worked for several years and following the death of her husband, Sturgis Panos, she again entered the classroom to become a registered nurse with higher pay, while raising her children. She later married Floyd Hendrix and he urged her to continue her education. Throughout the years, Rosemary earned several degrees and was employed first teaching nursing students, then as a counselor, and finally as a substance abuse counselor.

A certified ADA counselor, she was an advocate for those with disabilities, often advising businesses to establish more handicapped parking spaces and create more disabled friendly entrances and walkways. Both she and her husband co-authored a book, “Under the Umbrella, A Resource for Families With Alzheimer’s”, writing it as Floyd was dealing with the disease.

Throughout the years, Rosemary and Floyd returned to vacation in Marquette many times to visit friends and family, and following his death in 2014, she entertained the idea of returning to Marquette to live out the rest of her years.

In 2020, Rosemary returned to Marquette. Already in her mid-80s, she remained active, visiting friends and making new ones in her apartment building. It was not an easy task for she managed mobility using a rollator while fitted with a leg brace to strengthen her in her post-polio condition. She endured the complexities of the pandemic lockdown, taking daily walks with her walker on all six floors of the building and keeping in touch with her phone. Each day she could be found in her office, sitting at her desk and working on her computer, often late into the evening. With a background in marketing, she enjoyed creating business cards, calling cards, and posters for folks who could use them in their businesses. She also crafted beautiful posters for her friend’s apartment doors celebrating the holiday seasons, which she laminated for use year after year. She especially loved to create posters for the children in her building depicting their favorite animals and activities. During construction of the apartment building next to hers, she very often purchased Trenary cinnamon toast and brought it to the workers as a morning treat. She so enjoyed the months of watching them work from her apartment window, and relished the waves they sent back to her.

Rosemary’s Greek Orthodox Christian faith was extremely important to her and was the center of her life and impacted all aspects of it. She prayed daily for family, friends, the church, and community and crafted beautiful intercessory prayer cards for anyone experiencing difficulties, illness, or bereavement. She was a member of several Orthodox churches over the years and was personal friends with the hierarchy, clergy, and congregants of many, keeping in touch weekly with many of them. She often sought advice and was asked for it as well. She was generous with her time and talent and, along with her husband, established and operated a bookstore at the Orthodox Cathedral in Atlanta, Georgia.

Rosemary is survived by her children, Constantine S. Panos, Pamela M. Panos, Nicholas J. Panos, and Lisa B. Panos; 9 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren; a sister, Jean Patzakis; many nieces, nephews, and friends.

In addition to her parents, Rosemary was preceded in death by her first husband, Sturgis Panos; second husband, Floyd Hendrix and a sister, Stella Kritselis.

Friends may call at the Greek Orthodox Church of the Assumption, Marquette, on Monday, May 22nd, beginning at 9:30 am.

A Trisagion Service will be held at 10:30 am followed by the Funeral Liturgy at 11:00 am.

Interment will be made in the Park Cemetery.

Fassbender Swanson Hansen Funeral and Cremation Services is serving the family, where condolences may be expressed online at fassbenderswansonhansen.com.