Kenneth Lee Kendrick

Ken passed away at home September 16, 2024, surrounded by family. He was born February 18, 1930, in Alva, OK, the youngest child of Carey and Gertie Kendrick.

In June of 1949, Ken met Nancy Ann Joachim one evening and "picked her up off the street" as she and a friend of both hers and Ken were walking to downtown Alva. Ken thought she was cute. Ken and Nancy were engaged in 1950.

Ken served in the National Guard 45th Unit Signal Company. During the summer of 1949, while harvesting in Colorado, Ken received a call that his unit was being activated. He returned to Alva for training before heading to Fort Polk, LA. He was trained in radio relay.

After receiving orders that he would be sent overseas, he returned to Alva and married Nancy on February 4, 1951, on Sunday after services. Ken served tours in Japan and Korea before returning to the states in mid-1952. Following an honorable discharge, he returned to Alva.

Ken and Nancy went to Wichita, KS, where he interviewed for several jobs; hearing only that he needed to go back to college. He returned to Alva to attend Northwestern and earned his bachelor's degree in 1954. They moved to Oklahoma City and Ken began working as a draftsman for the State of Oklahoma.

Ken left his job with the State at the end of 1955 and began working for Magnolia, later becoming Mobil Oil. In 1970, he joined Kerr McGee until1977 and tried real estate for2-3 years before going to work for Tenneco. He retired from Tenneco in 1989.

Ken enjoyed fishing, hunting pheasants and quail, sailing, and photography. He was also a Ham Radio Operator and was a storm chaser in the 1960's and 1970's.

He mostly enjoyed being Poppy to his granddaughters. Spoiling and making memories at the lake house.

He is survived by his wife, Nancy; two daughters, Kathryn Kendrick-Buckalew and her husband Monte, and Laura Ann Baer; four granddaughters, Kelsey Winters and her husband Adam Winters; Lainie Buckalew; Sarah Hale and her husband Scott Hale; and Rachel Baer; great grandchildren, Fitz and Amber Winters; son-in-law, Duane Baer; and several nieces and nephews.

A celebration of life service will be held at Village United Methodist Church on Saturday, March 29, 2025, at 2 pm. Please wear bright, cheery clothes, business casual.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to Village United Methodist Church, 2501 W. Britton Rd., Oklahoma City, OK 73120.