William Dean Kendall Jr.

On April 7, 2019, William Dean “Denny” Kendall, Jr went to be with Jesus, his Lord and Savior. He was surrounded by loving friends, and by Paula, his companion of fifty years. Denny passed peacefully at home. He had a wonderful, blessed life.

He was born on April 13, 1942 in Portland to William Dean Kendall, Sr and Lydia Christine Wood (AKA Noyes) Kendall. He graduated from Lincoln High School in 1960 and shortly after enlisted in the US Army. He attended Linfield College after his honorable service.

Among his interests were classic cars, model trains, and model ships. He also enjoyed reading, gardening, dancing, and all sorts of home projects. He belonged to the Sociable Kings and Queens Pinochle Club, Rose City Banjoliers, and Portland Dixieland Jazz Club. Denny (most often with Paula) took many trips to Hawaii, and also visited Las Vegas, California, Idaho, Pennsylvania, Missouri (and much of the southern and northeast U.S.), Canada, Spain, London, Germany, Tahiti, Mexico, and also Caribbean cruise vacations.

Mr. Kendall was a jack-of-all-trades, and worked in many fields too numerous to mention. He took a break from “normal” employment in order to care for his grandmother, and after her passing returned to work as a personal financial manager until retirement.

He will be remembered as kind, generous, caring, and loving, with a great sense of humor. He will be greatly missed by those who knew and loved him.

He is survived by his companion Paula Peterson, sister Becky Burt and husband John, two nieces and a nephew and their spouses and children, and by numerous cousins, including Erskine Wood. He was preceded in death by his sister Christine Kendall, and by his mother and father.

Paula would like to thank Kindred Hospice for the quality of their compassionate care during his last illness.

A committal service with military honors will take place on Wednesday, April 24 at 1:30 pm at Willamette National Cemetery, 11800 SE Mt. Scott Blvd. in Portland. Attendees are requested to gather no later than 1:00 pm at Lincoln Memorial Funeral Home, so as to be led in vehicle procession into Willamette National in time for the committal.