Novella Francis Kendall Lam

Novella was born on November 26, 1921 to Alice and Clint Kendall at a home which once stood on land which is now the parking lot east of the UTA Student Union building. Ironically, on the same day three years later her sister, Doris, was born. Their rivalry extended throughout childhood and ended only with Doris’ death in April 2015. Novella quietly admitted years later to dropping a copperhead on Doris as a child. She moved once as a child to the corner of what is now Inwood and Cooper, because Alice didn’t want her “impressionable young daughters” to learn about male anatomy from the college boy’s dormitory across the street.

She attended Arlington High School and graduated Class of 1939. She entered North Texas State Agriculture College (later renamed to the University of Texas at Arlington), to hone her abhorrent typing skills. During the end of her third semester, she contracted Scarlet Fever and was never able to finish her degree.

By that point, one of the local farm boys had already caught her eye. Novella and Cranford were married on December 21, 1941 (though, not because of the events of Pearl Harbor). While Cranford was deployed to the South Pacific, Novella worked various jobs, including a position at Gray’s Nursery. After mutual disagreements with Gray, she left (was fired) and picked up a job at Well Machinery.

When Cranford returned from his deployment, “No wife of his was going to work,” and Novella settled into her life on Oakwood Lane. Over the course of the next few years, she began to study houses in the area for preparation of building her own.

In 1950 Novella and Cranford began building their “dream home” on the piece of property they had bought just outside of the Arlington city limits on Route One, which is now South Davis Drive. Amazingly, the marriage survived several “slight creative differences on the topic of architecture.” These differences would continue until the final room was completed in 1967.

As soon as their young daughter, Karen, was old enough to travel, they began taking road trips. This began with short day trips to see friends and family, and eventually expanded to Novella and Cranford going on trips lasting three months at a time. As a result, they completed their goal of seeing all fifty states in the early 1980’s. In the process, they also visited all the provinces of Canada. With their daughter and her husband, Steve, they added England, Scotland, and Wales.

These road trips were not without their share of excitement. On a road trip to Arkansas, Novella broke her leg while hiking down to a lake. After a several hour adventure, she was taken down from the mountains and spent several days at a local hospital. Because of hospital administrative bureaucracy of the era, they did not set her leg in Arkansas and she lived the rest of her life with a small limp. She spent six months in bed with numerous casts and a lot of free time. This led to one of their bigger fights - whether or not her #$@&%*! oil paints would be allowed in bed. Needless to say, Novella won.

Despite the leg injury, misadventures in general were limited on these trips. Novella navigated while Cranford drove. Unless there was a fishing spot. If there was fish to be hooked, or animals to be hunted, Cranford was there opening day. Novella used this down time on trips to refine her painting skills.

This fascination with hunting led to what was notoriously called “hunting presents.” If Cranford could spend money on ammunition, guns, and hunting leases, she would spend equally on something “frivolous” she wanted. “If money will be tight, it will be tight for both of us,” Novella would say. Over the years this led to the spontaneous appearance of bar stools, jewelry, a grape decanter, and a second set of wedding rings before Cranford was able to return home.

Novella was an active member in the planning of the Class of ‘39s first High School reunion in 1989. Shortly after the celebration, Novella almost suffered a heart attack upon hearing that “Karen and the baby are on their way.” Pre-dawn July 3rd, Novella became “Babo,” a name that nobody could sufficiently explain except as some form of toddler stubbornness. This started her new project, “moulding” her granddaughter, Stephanie. For several years she spent a substantial part of her time at the Fort Worth Zoo, Fossil Rim, making cookies, giving piano lessons, and cleaning Stephanie up after Bapa (Cranford) Time.

In the summer in 1995, Cranford required his second heart bypass surgery. He was in intensive care for more than six weeks, requiring several additional surgeries and extensive rehabilitation. This caused a major life change as Novella took over the task of caregiver until he died in June 2000. However, they still continued to take shortened trips (now measured in weeks instead of months) as long as he was able.

In her next phase Novella began her “non-political” political activism. She was a fervent fighter against bike lanes down South Davis and even more adamantly against its widening which would cut down some of her beloved oak trees. Never had the City of Arlington been up against such a stubborn, little old lady.

She was also asked to join a sewing group which created a religious themed banner for Westminster Presbyterian Church. This was HER church since 1959 where she taught many Sunday School classes until Cranford’s retirement and their frequent travelling took over. They were charter members and their attendance spanned the duration of four pastors.

Once the banner was completed the group became the Tuesday Sewing Group meeting at various member homes, which still continues. Having quilted before, Novella constructed a cathedral window quilt and then pieced many quilt tops for eventual distribution at Westminster. She also crocheted and tatted, making a variety of tablecloths, dishrags, and baby booties.

Novella now rests with her beloved husband, Cranford. She survived her bratty kid sister, Doris, and her ex son-in-law, Steve. She is survived by her daughter, Karen, granddaughter, Stephanie, and grandson-in-law, Chris. She also lays claim to a large number of extended friends and family.

The family has requested that in lieu of flowers memorials be made to the Westminster Presbyterian Church Property Fund, 1330 S. Fielder Rd, Arlington, TX 76013 or favorite charity.