Russell (“Russ”) George Kendig, a lifelong resident
of Canton, died on March 20, 2019, at age 94.
He was born on March 1, 1925, the eleventh of thirteen children born to
Harry and Bess Kendig.
Like many of his generation, he grew up during the
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| Kendigs about 1942 |
Depression
and recalled his childhood as difficult but happy. During grade school he was a
marble champion, spelling champion, and Repository
carrier. At Timken High, he played in the band and studied welding, graduating
with the first four-year class from Timken.
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| Ellis-Kendig escapade |
In 1943, he was drafted into the Army Air Corps. Halfway
through pilot training, he was sent to Dyersburg, TN for training as a B-17
crew member. There he met his pilot and lifelong friend, Bob Ellis,
coincidentally from Canton, Ohio. The two friends had a big escapade in what a 1943
Repository article called “The Mystery
of the Low-flying Bomber.” On their last training flight, they took a detour to
Canton, flew low over the city at two a.m. and “those who heard the bomber,
scampered outside” as police sent three cruisers to help, believing it might be
in trouble. The crew soon left the U.S. for
the 100th Bomb Group stationed in Thorpe Abbotts, England. The men
of the 100th, and especially Ellis’ crew, “The Brass Hat,” became
friends for life. In addition to bombing missions, Russ flew in two Chowhound
Missions and after VE-Day, he flew assignments into Dachau and Russia. Among Russ’s
awards were the Distinguished Flying Cross for “heroism…in an aerial flight”
and the Air Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters.
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| Crew of the "Brass Hat" |
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| 50th anniversary |
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| Wedding 1947 |
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During the war, he and Gladys Young corresponded,
and the pair met for the first time on Christmas Eve 1945 in his parents’
living room. Engaged on Valentine’s Day 1947, they married July 25, 1947. Russ began building their home on Perry Drive
NW, and they moved there in 1949, then spent 60 years there together, rearing children,
doing church work, dancing, traveling, story-telling, and singing.
Russ was a welder and blacksmith for Diebold Inc.
for 38 years and a member of The International
Brotherhood of Boilermakers and Blacksmiths. He served on the Board of
Directors of the Diebold employees credit union. His careful attention to
detail at work informed his home projects: remodeling the house for his
expanding family, making furniture and toys for children, grandchildren, great-nieces,
and great-nephews.
He was on so many committees that The Repository once wrote a story when
he finally got off one. Among these were:
At the former St. Paul’s UM church: *Chair of the
Board of Trustees for the construction of the main sanctuary, as his father had
been; *Sunday School teacher 35 years, *Choir member 20 years, and *Member the
Pastor-Parish Committee and others. *Cook with brother Les of table service
meals for over 250 people at a time in the church basement for decades and later
soup lunches that Aultman nurses remember.
In Masonic organizations: Member of *William
McKinley Lodge, *Canton Commandery #38, Knights Templar, *Royal Arch Masons
Canton #84, *Royal and Select Masons of Ohio Canton Council #35, and *Tadmor
Shrine, where he helped with the yearly circus, and transported children to the
Erie Shriners Hospital year-round. *Supporter of Gladys’ Eastern Star and his
daughters’ Job’s Daughters.
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| Dad on Pedro |
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Other activities included: breaking and riding
horses from the open range for the owners, his sister Olive and her husband; serving
on the Perry Zoning Board; coaching Hot Stove Baseball; and attending many events
for his kids. He also did furnace. air-conditioning, and handyman work, usually for free, for all his relatives, widows, and other friends.
Most enjoyably, he played Santa Claus. A child once said, “Russ Kendig was who Santa
Claus had to pretend to be the rest of the year.”
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| Mommy kissing Santa Claus |
Preceded in death by his wife Gladys May Kendig and
his daughter Daun Kendig, as well as his parents and all 12 siblings, Russ is
survived by three of his children and their spouses: Diane Kendig and husband
Paul Beauvais, Beth Kendig McBride and husband Jim McBride, and the Hon. Russ
Kendig and wife Cheryl Kendig. Russ has three granddaughters who call him
“Popeye.” They include Bessana Kendig and Claire Kendig. The eldest, Lauren
Takeda, and her husband Edgar Takeda are parents of his great-granddaughter, Makenna.
He was godfather to five children, and
beloved by his nieces and nephews and many loving friends the world over.
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| 50th anniversary, 1997 |
A celebration of life will be held at a later date. In
lieu of flowers donations may be made to the following:
· ***
Shriners Hospital: Shriners Hospitals
for Children — Erie / 1645 West 8th Street/Erie, PA 16505
· ***100th Bomb Group
Foundation: 100th Bomb Group Foundation, Attn; Jeanne Carey/407
Parkview Drive/ Laurens, SC, 29360-2617
Diane,
ReplyDeleteDeepest sympathy to you and Paul. You gave him 10 years he never would have had, gave meaning to his life and absolutely extended his life. Be gentle with yourselves..
Thanks, Jen. The many sweet memories I have going back at least 66 years, are my great comfort, as is Paul.
DeleteDiane -- Thank you for letting me know about your Dad's passing. We're all so sorry for your loss. The obituary provides such a nice tribute to a life so generously and kindly lived. He was always so pleasant and fun to be around. Our thoughts and sympathies to you, Rusty, and Beth. Lori Stertzbach Zunich
ReplyDeleteWell, the card club 12, the best friends of all times! Dad and I visited your mom and Pat Kress up through the last year. What great people, what great work they did together, and what great fun they had.
DeleteI have put together a "Veterans in the Classroom' Day at Louisville Middle School for almost two decades. Mr. Kendig came for many years, spending the entire day sharing his experiences with our students. His stories, along with his smile, energy, and humor, kept the kids on the edge of their seats for the entire class. I loved hearing him speak. His low fly-by stunt with his buddy over Canton got everybody laughing, including himself. I am glad you shared it in his obituary. He story of escaping a POW camp and journeying across Europe to safety, which included a long rowboat ride across the English Channel from a French man, was breathtaking. I always loved talking with him individually during our lunch break. I could listen to him all day. From reading his obituary, I saw that he lived a life of serving and helping others. From my brief time knowing him, I was not surprised at all.
ReplyDeleteMay God bless and comfort you in this time. I am sure that Mr. Kendig's warmth and generosity will continue to live on through his family.
Thanks, Mac. Some of those memories were not his, but his friends'-- like he was never a POW. But those friends had died, and he wasn't trying to be deceitful, to just keep the stories going. He spoke in my classes at The University of Findlay (Mom did too) on WWII experiences, and the students remembered him for years after. Thank you for remembering him.
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