Edwin Bernard Kendall

Edwin Bernard Kendall

Jul. 17, 1933 – Dec. 19, 2022

Edwin Bernard Kendall, 89, was born the second child of four to Joseph and Frances (Higginbotham) Kendall on Jul. 17, 1933, in Wilbur, Wash. He passed away peacefully on Dec. 19, 2022, with family by his side in Spokane, Wash.

Bernard grew up in Hartline, Wash. He graduated from Hartline High School in 1951. He attended Washington State College for 2 years before being drafted into the United States Army on March 22, 1956. Private First Class Edwin Bernard Kendall trained to become a Radio Teletype Operator at The Southeastern Signal School at Fort Gordon, Ga. While stationed in Japan, he was one of the few radio operators chosen to monitor radio transmissions during the launch of the Earth's first artificial satellite, the Sputnik, by the Soviet Union.

Bernard married Margaret Edith (Mickey) Rice on Dec. 19, 1959. He graduated from Eastern Washington State College with a Bachelor's degree in Education. Bernard and Mickey were both teachers in Ephrata, Wash. Bernard taught drafting and shop and coached baseball and wrestling. After a couple of years in Ephrata, Bernard and Mickey moved back to Hartline and began farming his family's small farm.

Bernard and Mickey had three daughters, Margaret Lynne, Barbara Diane, and Linda Michelle. In 1998, Bernard and Mickey built a home at Hanson Harbor, near Wilbur, Wash. During this time, he was blessed with six grandchildren. After retiring from farming, they moved to their new house on Lake Roosevelt. Although leaving the farm was difficult for Bernard, this soon became his dream home where he was able to share his love of fishing, hunting, and scouting for wildlife with his grandchildren and his friends.

Bernard enjoyed attending his daughter's and grandchildren's countless sporting events. He loved to garden and shared his bountiful yields with neighbors and friends. Bernard also loved to hunt and he was never without a faithful Labrador Retriever. He was a member of The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and Davenport Lions Club.

Bernard was an avid trap shooter. He was a member of the American Trap Shooting Association and the Washington State Trapshooters Association. In 2010, he reached 50,000 registered targets. He was a lifetime member of the Almira Gun Club and the Coulee City Gun Club. He never missed an Inland Empire or Washington State shoot for over 50 years. Bernard made many lifelong shooting friends. Many of his most treasured memories were those made with his trapshooting buddies.

Longing to be back with Mickey since her passing on February 11, 2020, he went to be with her again on what would have been their 63rd anniversary.

He was predeceased by his parents, Joseph and Frances Kendall, and his siblings, Barbara Jean Kendall Weber, DeWayne Kendall and Marchelle Kendall Marr. He is survived by his daughters, Lynne (Joe) Coppersmith of Davenport, Diane (Jim) Leffel of Ritzville, and Linda (Paul) Boyer of Wilbur. Bernard's grandchildren are Kendall and Nicole Coppersmith, Matthew (Kate) and Erica Leffel, and Jacob and Megan Marshall.

Funeral services were held Dec. 27th where Bernard was laid to rest next to Mickey at Spring Canyon Cemetery in Grand Coulee, Wash. Memorial donations can be made to Lincoln Hospital Foundation, 10 Nicholls St, Davenport, WA 99122.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at http://www.strate-funeral.com for the Kendall family. Strate Funeral Home, Davenport, WA is caring for the family.