On November 28, 2022, Judy Kendall, loving wife, mother, sister, grandmother, and friend, passed away at the age of 86.
Judith Suzanne Kendall (nee Darnell) was born August 13, 1936, in Indianapolis, IN., to Friends pastors Carl and Eunice (Sutphin) Darnell. She lived near Westfield and Russiaville in her early school years, then moved to Ball Play, TN with her parents, and attended Madisonville High School for 3 years. She graduated from Friendsville Academy in Friendsville, Tennessee in 1954 and completed one year each at Marion College and Earlham College in Indiana.
Judy met her husband of 67 years, Keith Kendall, in Tennessee while he was completing his two years of alternative service at Friendsville Academy, and her parents were pastors at the Friendsville Friends Meeting. They were married there on June 11, 1955, in a “semi-traditional” Quaker wedding ceremony. Together, they founded and were Directors of the Friends Student Center at Purdue University in 1957. During this time, they attended Farmer’s Institute Friends.
In 1961, Judy and Keith felt called to the mission field and went to Highgate Friends Meeting in Jamaica. Judy taught at the Highgate Continuation School for a few years and was Chairman of the Board at Lyndale Girls Home. In 1966 the couple served as pastors in Highgate, Jamaica and the following year, they moved to Kingston, Jamaica.
They moved from Jamaica to Leesburg, Ohio in 1970, and were the pastors of the Leesburg Friends Meeting in Wilmington Yearly Meeting for six years. While there, Judy also ran a small in-home daycare.
In 1976, they moved to Winchester Friends Meeting (IN) as pastors and enjoyed their 9-year stay. For many of those years, Judy was the Meeting’s office secretary. She was very active in the community and school affairs (especially the band), as well as Friends United Meeting and Indiana Yearly Meeting of Friends.
Judy and Keith moved to the Carmel Friends Meeting (IN) in 1985 where Keith was the lead pastor. While there, Judy worked as an office secretary/manager for a custom cabinet maker and for a specialized machine shop.
In 1989, they moved to New Castle (IN), where they were administrators of Friends retirement apartment centers. She retired in March of 1998, working 9 years for Quality Quaker Management, Inc. (Wilmington, OH).
In 2001, they moved to Richmond and became members of Richmond First Friends. Judy served on committees and volunteered in numerous other ways. Later, they returned to Winchester Friends Meeting as members. Judy was involved in many groups and organizations, such as USFW, Friends United Meeting, Diamond K Kiwanis Club, and Indiana Yearly Meeting of Friends. She was very active in each community she lived in, helping and volunteering in any way she could.
Judy loved music and was a gifted pianist and organist, playing for New Castle First Friends Meeting, Richmond First Friends, Winchester Friends, and Friends Fellowship Community. She also enjoyed singing in the choir. She had an extraordinary ability to care for people using her talents in cooking/baking, hosting, sewing, knitting, and crocheting. She was able to prepare dinner for 12 at the last minute with ease. She enjoyed knitting hats for newborns and prayer shawls for those in need of comfort. She was loving, kind, and compassionate to all.
Judy is survived by her husband: Keith Kendall; her two children, Tim (Ann) Kendall, Tanya (Tim) Hart; her two sisters, Jane (Ted) Scheuermann, Julie (Roger) Best; eight grandchildren, Kelsey (Joe) Feltis, Katherine Kendall, Dwight (Shalisha) Kendall, Jacob (Erin) Hart, Christopher (Collene Anderson), Karl Kendall, Jonathan (Diamond) Kendall, Christina Vilsaint; and six great-grandchildren, Joey Feltis, Jordan Feltis, Rylynn Feltis, Mic Kendall, Olivia Kendall, and Kendall Hart.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Carl and Eunice Darnell, and her brother, Terry Darnell.
She generously donated her body to the Anatomical Education Program at Indiana University School of Medicine. This gift will contribute significantly to the advancement of health science education in the State of Indiana. Those, like Judy, who decide to bequeath their bodies to the health sciences have made a significant contribution that benefits the quality of life and care for the living.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Birth-to-Five, Inc in Richmond, IN mybirthtofive.org
Memorial Service to be held January 15th, 2023, at Winchester Friends Meeting, 124 E. Washington St, Winchester, IN at 2:00pm