“He Was Always There for Us” – Rachel Smith Shares Her Father, Deacon Charles Hendry’s Story

“He died the day before his 67th birthday,” Rachel begins softly. “It was the 4th of July last year. His birthday would have been the next day.” 

Rachel’s father, Charles, was 66 when he passed away, and although he had faced various health issues in the years leading up to his death, the loss was still a devastating shock to the family who adored him. “He was diagnosed late in life with haemochromatosis, which is a genetic condition,” she explains. “It led to insulin-dependent diabetes. He also had chronic fatigue syndrome; arthritis and he ended up having both knee and hip replacements. But he never stopped. He kept going.” 

Despite taking early retirement at the age of 52 due to his health, Rachel’s dad didn’t slow down. He stayed active in his community, particularly through his work as a Deacon at St Peter and Paul’s Church in Dundee. Only 5 days before his death, on the 29th June 2024, he baptised his youngest grandchild at the sanctuary room at the hospice, Roxburgh House. “His faith was so important to him. He loved helping people, whether it was through the church or his work in nursing.” 

It’s clear that care was at the heart of everything he did. Rachel describes how her parents first met, fittingly, on a hospital ward. “They met on Ward 3 at Ninewells Hospital,” she recalls. “My dad was a staff nurse, and my mum was a student nurse. That’s where it all began.” 

Their story came full circle when Rachel herself became a nurse and met her husband on the very same ward. “It’s kind of beautiful, really. Nursing is in our blood, you could say.” 

A Life of Learning and Leadership

Rachel’s father didn’t just practice nursing, he also taught it. After years of clinical work, he moved into education and became a senior lecturer at the University of Dundee’s school of Nursing and Midwifery. 

“He was very academic,” Rachel says. “He even did his PhD and wrote articles on nursing. He really cared about the next generation of nurses.” 

Despite his many professional achievements, it’s clear that family was his greatest joy. Rachel is the second of his five children, consisting of four daughters and one son. “We all went our own ways, but there’s a bit of him in each of us.” 

Her eldest sister Sarah is a headteacher at a local primary school. Rachel herself is a staff nurse, and her sister Ruth works in educational support. Katherine, the fourth sibling, recently completed a degree in Cyber Security. Their younger brother James, the youngest of the five, is a staff nurse in the emergency department at Ninewells. 

“He was so proud of us all,” Rachel says. “Especially when we followed in his footsteps. Even if we didn’t choose nursing, he saw the values of care and service in all of us.” 

A Family Man with a Big Heart

After retiring, Rachel’s dad found great joy in being a grandfather. With seventeen grandchildren to keep up with, life was never quiet. 

“He had a way of making each of them feel special,” Rachel shares. “Even with so many of us, he always had time. He was the type of man who would sit and really listen.” 

The listening and the caring, was what made him so remarkable, both as a professional and as a parent. Rachel’s voice breaks slightly as she reflects on the depth of her father’s presence in her life. 

“Sometimes I can talk about him like it’s just a story,” she says. “Like I’m giving a report. Other times, it just hits me out of nowhere and I break down.”

Turning Grief into Action

Rachel and her sister Ruth have signed up for not just one Kiltwalk, but for all four, walking more than 80 miles in total, raising funds for Pancreatic Cancer Action in memory of their father and to help others affected by pancreatic cancer. 

“We wanted to do something positive. Something to honour him. It’s hard, but it helps,” she says. 

The walks are not just an act of remembrance, but also a message, that pancreatic cancer is still so often diagnosed too late, and families like theirs are left with far more questions than answers. 

Having already completed two walks, Rachel and Ruth are eager to finish all four. The walks are very emotional as people recount their own personal experiences with this deadly disease. 

“The first Kiltwalk was quite upsetting as we walked remembering our dad and it was hard seeing others so emotional, but we pushed on and were so proud when we finished,” said Rachel.  

Undeterred and in mission mode, the sisters took part in the second walk last Sunday in Aberdeen. Although a slightly shorter walk than the first one that took place in Glasgow, the aftereffects were worse, with Rachel stating, “it took a while for our legs to get back to normal after the second one, which is odd having completed the first a few weeks ago with slightly less pain.” 

The third Kiltwalk is on 17th August in Dundee, with the fourth and final walk in Edinburgh on 14th September. 

The girls have already smashed their initial target of £500 and know their dad would be incredibly proud of their achievements. 

If you would like to support the girls in their last stretch, please visit Rachel’s Just Giving. 

Rachel’s story is a reminder that behind every statistic is a family, a history, and a life – often rich and full and vibrant and cut short too soon. 

Carrying His Legacy Forward

Though he’s no longer here, Rachel’s father continues to shape her life every day. 

“I miss him terribly,” she says. “But I feel him in everything I do, when I’m at work, when I’m with my kids, when I’m with my siblings. He left us with so much.” 

In telling her story, Rachel honours not only her father’s life, but also the enduring love that continues to bind their family together. Her words are a powerful tribute to a man who gave so much – to his patients, his students, his faith, and, above all, to his family.