Betty Kendall, 86, passed away peacefully Oct. 2, 2021, with her family by her side. She was born Dec. 28, 1934, in Calumet City, Illinois. With her adventurous “what next” spirit, she left behind the Midwest to teach in the barely settled coast of Alaska. In addition to learning how to fish, hunt and field dress a moose, it was there that she met her future husband, Richard (Dick) Kendall. After a brief stint in Europe with two toddlers in tow, Betty and her husband settled in Anchorage, Alaska, where she continued to teach along with raising her family. Upon retirement, she and her husband moved to Langley, WA to be closer to their children.
Betty held a Master’s degree in Library Science, was an avid reader, followed politics and was a wicked scrabble player. She was never at a loss for conversation and enjoyed all of the arts and activities on Whidbey Island. She was a frequent flyer on senior bus tours, watched movies at The Clyde, attended musical and theatre performances of any kind and made time for the Island County Fair each year. She was a long-time member of the United Methodist Church. She also had the good fortune of living on Bells Lane for 30 years and counted her neighbors as her closest friends.
Betty always found time to volunteer. Whether it was for her church, the senior center, a fundraiser, or an event, she was always ready to help with a smile. She will, however, be most remembered for her 30 years of volunteer service as the “Book Lady” of Good Cheer in Langley. She loved working there and considered both co-workers and customers her friends.
Her children and grandchildren also remember her as a tireless supporter of their activities. As a mother, she was there for Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, skating performances, soccer games and so much more. As a grandparent, she will be fondly remembered for sleepovers, donut birthday cakes, grab bags of “treasures” from Good Cheer and her famous tuna salad. Her family knew they were loved and important to her.
Due to Betty’s sudden illness, she didn’t have time to properly say goodbye to all her friends. She wanted all those who called or sent cards to know how much she appreciated their kind words, prayers and memories. Thank you for letting Betty know how much her friendship and life mattered.
Betty was preceded in death by her husband Richard Kendall. She is survived by her son Scott Kendall, daughter Sue Gellner (Bryan) and grandchildren Ruby Gellner and Spencer Gellner (Kelsey).
If you would like to do something to honor Betty’s memory, please think about volunteering for some cause or organization you have a passion for – it’s what Betty would have done.
