Erion Joseph Kendall, Jr. (Joe) passed away peacefully on January 8, 2026 after a brief illness.
Joe was born on May 31, 1937, in Daytona Beach, Florida, to E.J. Kendall, Sr. and Sara Elizabeth Abernathy Kendall. His family later settled in Pine Castle, Florida, where Joe was raised alongside his two sisters, Sara and Sherry.
A gifted athlete and singer, Joe attended Edgewater High School, where he met the love of his life, Gloria Grier. They married shortly after graduating on December 27, 1955 and shared an extraordinary 70 years of marriage. In his early years, Joe worked as an auto mechanic, served as a firefighter, and honorably served in the US National Guard/Army Reserves.
Joe eventually found his calling in the insurance and mortgage industries, working alongside his father during the late 1950s and early 1960s. He and Gloria relocated to Brevard County to continue his work as a mortgage banker coinciding with the area's transformation by the space program. During this period of rapid development, Joe dedicated many years to assisting families in achieving homeownership and providing financing for new commercial developments throughout the county and state. It was in the 1970s and 1980s, that Joe's finance experience eventually led him into senior leadership roles at Merritt Square Bank. Under his stewardship, these local branches thrived and became part of Florida's largest independent bank. Joe oversaw and operated branches from Vero Beach to Tallahassee until 1989. Following this chapter, Joe, Gloria, and their son, John worked together in the family business, Kendall Mortgage, until Joe and Gloria's retirement. John continues to own and operate the company today, which remains the oldest and longest-running family-owned and operated mortgage company on the Space Coast.
Joe was preceded in death by his parents, his oldest son, E.J. (Jay) Kendall, III and his sister, Sara Ann McDaniel. He is survived by his beloved wife, Gloria Kendall; his son John Kendall and daughter-in-law, Ana Maria Kendall; and his cherished granddaughters, Liliana Kendall, Julia Donnelly (husband Travis), and Sofia Kendall. He is also survived by his sister, Sherry Forney, brother-in-law, John Forney, sister-in-law Carol Barnette and nieces and nephews: Jamie and Keirsten McDaniel, Steve Rose, David Hunnicutt, Julie and Rick Rice, Pam and Herb Pray, Melody LaForce, David McDaniel and Debbie Wandless.
In accordance with Joe's wishes, there will be no formal service. Family and friends recently gathered to celebrate Joe and Gloria's 70th wedding anniversary, an intimate and meaningful occasion filled with love and gratitude.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Joe's memory to Vitas Hospice in Rockledge, FL whose compassionate care supported Joe and his family immeasurably. Vitas can be reached at (866) 579-6772 or https://vitascommunityconnection.org/ to donate.
Joe was born on May 31, 1937, in Daytona Beach, Florida, to E.J. Kendall, Sr. and Sara Elizabeth Abernathy Kendall. His family later settled in Pine Castle, Florida, where Joe was raised alongside his two sisters, Sara and Sherry.
A gifted athlete and singer, Joe attended Edgewater High School, where he met the love of his life, Gloria Grier. They married shortly after graduating on December 27, 1955 and shared an extraordinary 70 years of marriage. In his early years, Joe worked as an auto mechanic, served as a firefighter, and honorably served in the US National Guard/Army Reserves.
Joe eventually found his calling in the insurance and mortgage industries, working alongside his father during the late 1950s and early 1960s. He and Gloria relocated to Brevard County to continue his work as a mortgage banker coinciding with the area's transformation by the space program. During this period of rapid development, Joe dedicated many years to assisting families in achieving homeownership and providing financing for new commercial developments throughout the county and state. It was in the 1970s and 1980s, that Joe's finance experience eventually led him into senior leadership roles at Merritt Square Bank. Under his stewardship, these local branches thrived and became part of Florida's largest independent bank. Joe oversaw and operated branches from Vero Beach to Tallahassee until 1989. Following this chapter, Joe, Gloria, and their son, John worked together in the family business, Kendall Mortgage, until Joe and Gloria's retirement. John continues to own and operate the company today, which remains the oldest and longest-running family-owned and operated mortgage company on the Space Coast.
Joe was preceded in death by his parents, his oldest son, E.J. (Jay) Kendall, III and his sister, Sara Ann McDaniel. He is survived by his beloved wife, Gloria Kendall; his son John Kendall and daughter-in-law, Ana Maria Kendall; and his cherished granddaughters, Liliana Kendall, Julia Donnelly (husband Travis), and Sofia Kendall. He is also survived by his sister, Sherry Forney, brother-in-law, John Forney, sister-in-law Carol Barnette and nieces and nephews: Jamie and Keirsten McDaniel, Steve Rose, David Hunnicutt, Julie and Rick Rice, Pam and Herb Pray, Melody LaForce, David McDaniel and Debbie Wandless.
In accordance with Joe's wishes, there will be no formal service. Family and friends recently gathered to celebrate Joe and Gloria's 70th wedding anniversary, an intimate and meaningful occasion filled with love and gratitude.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Joe's memory to Vitas Hospice in Rockledge, FL whose compassionate care supported Joe and his family immeasurably. Vitas can be reached at (866) 579-6772 or https://vitascommunityconnection.org/ to donate.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Erion Kendall, please visit our flower store.
Erion Kendall's Guestbook
Visits: 74
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the
Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors