Stewart Grimes "Stew" Kendle, 82, of Forshey Road, Marietta, departed this life on Sunday (Feb. 22, 2009) at Marietta Memorial Hospital after a lengthy illness of several years.
He was born Dec. 25, 1926, in Marietta to Mr. J.C. Kendle and Mrs. Thora A. (Stewart) Kendle. Stew was a graduate of Marietta High School, with the class of 1948. He left high school in 1945 after turning 18, and entered the U.S. Army, where he was stationed in Europe until 1947. He returned to Marietta, and re-entered high school, where he graduated in 1948. He then entered the Air Force in 1950, and retired from the military in 1969. While in the military, he served in various places, including California, Europe, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Hawaii, Okinawa, Illinois, Germany, Arizona, and Washington, D.C., where he worked at the Pentagon for a short time. He was a proud veteran and a supporter for the renovation of the Marietta Armory. He always looked forward to his high school reunions, having served on the committee each year, and he always had good memories, and good things to say about his classmates. Stew worked at the Ohio Department of Transportation for several years, until he retired in 1991.
He was a lifetime member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and American Legion Post 64. He also held membership in the 40&8. He was a member of the Public Employees Retirement System, and a member of the Sand Hill United Methodist Church in Reno.
Stew is survived by his wife, the former Mary Louise Nelson, with whom he was united in marriage on Feb. 27, 1949; his three children, Mrs. David (Diana) Lawrence of Caldwell, Mrs. William (Kathy) Taylor of Marietta and Mr. John F. Kendle of Marietta; four grandchildren, Carrie Lawrence of Sarahsville, Ohio, Sarah (Doug) Reed and Matthew Lawrence, both of Caldwell, and Seth Taylor of Marietta; two great-grandchildren, Riley Clark and Hayden Lawrence; and a cousin, Kathryn Orndoff of Waterford.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a great- grandson, Gavin Patrick Clark; and his stepmother, Delilah Kendle.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Wednesday (Feb. 25, 2009) at the Marietta Chapel of Cawley & Peoples Funeral Home, with Pastor Wendy Erb officiating. Burial will be in East Lawn Memorial Park, with full military honors. Friends may call on Tuesday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m.
Donations may be made to CAPS, Citizens Armory Preservation Society, P.O. Box 523, Marietta, Ohio 45750.
Cawley & Peoples Funeral Homes offers online condolences by visiting their Web site, www.cawleyandpeoples.com .
