JOHN E. HENDY

SALISBURY — John E. Hendy, 87, of Salisbury, Vt. passed away surrounded by family Jan. 13, 2026, at Porter Medical Center. John was born on July 6, 1938, in Barton, Vt. He was predeceased by his father, John D. Hendy; mother, Ella (Valley) Hendy; and brother-in-law Don Boss. He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Donna (Dyke) Hendy and children Jo Anne Roy of Deerfield Beach, Fla.; Judy Austin and husband John of Salisbury, Vt.; Janet Hendy of Lavergne, Tenn.; and Michael Hendy and partner Helen Pampinella of Weybridge, Vt. He was a beloved Jiddo to his grandchildren: Kelsey, Brad, Rowan, Harper, and Ellie. He is also survived by his dear sisters: Jean Boss, Carole Bealko (Don), and Donna Starling (Bill), also many cherished nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

John grew up in Barton, Vt., and graduated from Barton Academy in 1957 while working at the family John Deere dealership. That same year John, along with his father moved their families to Middlebury, Vt., where they bought out Marshall Tractor, thus expanding Hendy Bros. to two locations. Shortly thereafter the Barton store was sold and the next 50 years John’s life was spent successfully operating the Middlebury dealership until he sold the business to Judy and Michael and retired. Even after retirement he continued to go to work every day, helping out any way he could. He particularly enjoyed conversing with customers and employees.

John enjoyed spending time with his sisters, brothers-in-law and his cherished friends. He enjoyed traveling with friends and family to many memorable destinations including Haiti, Hong Kong, Australia, Morocco, Amsterdam, and Alaska to name a few.

John enjoyed a well-manicured lawn and took pride in keeping his yard looking good. He was a consummate putterer, always picking, pruning, watering, cutting, and raking anything in his yard that he felt needed attention or cleaning. He loved spending time with his family and friends at his home on Lake Dunmore. He and Donna hosted a family reunion annually for many years and those reunions provide a treasure trove of memories for us all.

While in High School John joined the Army National Guard and proudly served for six years. John was a member of the Knights of Columbus for many years and a parishioner of St. Mary’s Church in Middlebury. He also served on the board of the New England Dealers Association for several years.

Calling hours will be from 3-6 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 18, at Sanderson Funeral Home, located at 117 South Main Street, Middlebury, Vt. A funeral mass will be held at 10 a.m., Monday, Jan. 19, at St Mary’s Church in Middlebury, Vt.

John’s family would like to thank the staff at Porter Hospital for helping John in his final days.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to www.stmary.vermontcatholic.org/give St Mary’s Church at 326 College Street, Middlebury, VT 05753. Messages of condolence may be made at www.sandersonfuneralservice.com. ◊