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Nephi Hendriok aka Ne-phi (the Artist) Roland Hendrick 1953 ~ 2009
Born July 17, 1953. Died Oct 28, 2009 in Los Angeles, CA.
Reported deceased. Does anyone have an actual copy of his obituary? If so, please email to: airesq_53 at yahoo.com. Thanks so much.
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Life
GREAT EVERYONE-- it is I, NEPHI - also now using my Second Name ROLAND. Available per roland717 at netzero dot com.
Per my Art, the Paintings and Photos I've hyphened the first name - to NE-PHI' - and Roland is easier for most.
Graduated EAST High in 71 - was heavy into the AUDIO VISUAL, ART and DANCE dept - loved the FLEXIBLE SHEDULING we had - was able to side-step Math etc. Did the U of U - gymnastics, dance, art - but was bored- had a DRIVE to ACCOMPLISH. I'd started the Jill Bucher portrait - self taught- but huge - and Jill's family inspired me to continue - so went to "HOLLYWOOD".
Did 3 TV series - but- I wanted to paint - and did -per aquired "connections". Commissioned Portraits happened quickly - and I became labled as the JET SET PORTRAIT ARTIST. Rockefeller, Kennedy etc etc happened - but- because I was able to "totally portray" and with my OWN Style/Technique. Andy WARHOL taught me about PUBLIC RELATIONS. All goes well.
My new Venture is - to Build Hotels.
I must add -just be YOURSELF - and- Money is about the EASIEST fact to aquire. USE YOUR MIND. And - yes, Associate with the Rich - if you want to be rich - it's a fact of life - and also - work with GOD - yes! that Force which gave you Life - address it ALWAYS - for anything - and TRUST and BELIEVE in that Force - and intend that all you do is for the GOOD of ALL.
BIG HUG -- to ALL --- NE-PHI' that Artist - aka, ROLAND -
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John Halleck
I'm sorry to see him go. I first met him before High School, and knew him in high school, but can't really claim to have been either a close or good friend. I suspect that I don't even properly qualifiy as a real friend, just one of the people he knew in high school. While I also knew him outside of school, I didn't really get to know him well until l about a year before his death when we got back in touch. Our conversation ended abruptly, and shortly afterwords I got news of his death.
He was raised by his grandmother and his mother, who died long before him. He had no other family that I was aware of.
People in High School can be sometimes be thoughtless and unfeeling, and he got more of that directed his way than most. He moved away from Salt lake about as soon as he could, and drifted (in my opinion) aimlessly for a while (including time in the military). He thought he could find elsewhere the respect and consideration that he didn't seem to feel he got when here. He eventually settled into being a working artist doing portraits for the rich and famous. He was gifted with a rare artistic talent, and produced some exceptional works (I find his protrait of Timothy Leary's wife to be his most striking.). And in the end he fell into a lifestyle that was hard on him.
When we got back in touch, he was nostalgic about some people from East that had been his friends, and one womon in particular that he had been emotionally involved with, and how he had never found that kind of emotional ties since. I know that he was in touch with (or back in touch with?) at least one other East High classmate when I was getting to know him again, and I know that his East High friendships were important to him.
Although he spent time looking, I don't think he ever came close to finding what he was looking for, and sadly his searching has come to an end.
I was never able to find an actual obiturary, if anyone else can I would appreciate getting a copy.
Helen Barton (Peterson)
Dear John,
I really appreciated your kind and candid remarks about Nephi and how he needed more
people to let him know, how amazing, he was!
I just remember his great smile and how friendly and animated he was.
A couple of years before he died, he and another East High alum called me and we laughed and
reminisced about how fun it was, to just, run into each other in the halls at school.
We weren't super close but you could count on his amazing 'hello' and hug and meaning it.
His genuine enthusiasm for life made my day!
I couldn't find an obituary, yet but I found this info in Ancestry.com: (via Social Security Index):
So, now, we at least have his date of passing and can go from there.
Blessings to you,
best-Helen 'Gay' Barton
Jyll Bucher (Sweet)
It's not often you meet remarkable individuals, especially in a local High School that defy who they are destined to become. Nephi was one of these remarkables. He was someone you would have met in a New York museum, in an art gallery, or the Metropolitan Opera. Already grown up beyond his years when at East High, he was so talented that Mr. Hyer told him he couldn't teach him anything. His ability in painting was self taught and people were always in awe of him. He painted everyone in my family including me several times as Jesus Christ which was really strange. But I never question art or its inspiration.. He could paint anything like a master! My family and I loved Nephi as one of our own. His home life was terrible with his grandma raising him, my mother adored him and took steps to try to adopt him. Everyone loved him - he spoke perfect high German and was always involved with what was new in the art world not only here in Salt Lake but everywhere! Thank heavens I was so naive as to gender then, and all this labeling we have today to describe who we are could never describe just who Nephi was to me. He was and still remains just my dearest friend. It was an honor and a priviledge to have been his friend while at East and beyond. (He cherished all his friends at East)! He died not long ago from binging on alcohol from depression in Los Angeles his guardian told me. Love and finding love was his journey... his courage to find it outran death. He was East High's treasure!