Celebrant Pam Meily Vetter


	Celebrating Life Everyone Has A Story...

Robert "Bob" Thomas Kendrick was born in 1940, to Lillian and Augustus Kendrick, in Long Beach, California. Bob was the youngest in the family. He grew up with four siblings: Chuck, Bunn, Terry, and Sylvia. Bob had a really happy childhood and he was very close to his parents. Bob enjoyed fishing as a child. His father worked at a shipyard and pinstriped cars, inspiring Bob with a life long love of boats and automobiles.

As a teenager, he joined "The Cavaliers," a car club established in Long Beach in 1948. The club members worked on custom projects to hot rods, while also remaining active in community service. Bob met his high school sweetheart, Linda, at Polly High School in Long Beach. The couple married in 1956. As young parents, they took their first-born son, Tony, with them everywhere. Bob even took Tony to "The Cavaliers," introducing him to automobiles as well. Their second born was a daughter they named Shelley. Linda and Bob were always so happy together.

To support the family, Bob fixed boats. His passion for boating and fishing led to his own boat store, "Anaheim Marine." Bob became very well known in the Long Beach boating community. In his free time, he enjoyed spending time with his kids going fishing, hunting, biking, and camping. When Linda unexpectedly passed away, it was hard on Bob, but he was a strong man who did his best to move forward for his children.

Bob met Denise and he was happy to find love a second time. The couple married and Bob welcomed two children into his life: Tiffany and Raymond. The couple was thrilled to welcome their son, Bobby, into the world. With all of his children, Bob made sure they were taken care of as they also learned respect and morals, which would be passed down to the next generation as well. Bob told everyone he had five kids, as he loved them all equally.

Bob was the kind of man who would give the last dollar in his pocket to someone in need. In fact, when someone outside his condo was homeless, he took them in from the cold. He gave people jobs who needed them. He repeatedly helped strangers who were down on their luck. When a family lost everything to a fire, Bob stepped up to the plate to help out. He was an extremely generous man.

For family trips, everyone got together to ride motorcycles in the desert. To include everyone, Bob bought the ladies a Rhino jeep for off road. He had many interests over the course of his life. He loved shooting, fishing, and watching boats race. He collected guns, knives, and watches. He liked collecting coins with his grandson, Kyle. He especially loved spending time with his grandchildren. His favorite music was rock and roll including songs from the Rolling Stones, Creedence Clearwater Revival, the Eagles, and Johnny Cash. He also enjoyed the oldies and Neil Diamond and Western movies starring John Wayne or Clint Eastwood. He loved to dance, entertain, and throw parties. In Bob’s world, everyone was always welcome.

Bob will best be remembered for his pride in family, his big heart, and giving nature. His family will miss seeing him with his grandchildren, hanging out with him, getting advice, being able to call him, and hearing old stories. There are so many memories of Bob teaching his kids how to ride a bike, how to surf, how to drive a car, and how to treat other people. Bob’s attitude was always: "Everyone deserves a fair shake in life."

Bob Kendrick is truly loved by his entire family: Siblings Terry and Sylvia; son Tony and his wife Sandy; daughter Shelley and her husband Paul; son Bobby; daughter Tiffany and her husband Michael; son Raymond and his wife Jennifer; and grandchildren Chrystal, Carly, Kyle, Troy, Tyler, Tristan, Michaela, Dylan, and Paige.

The family believes Bob is now reunited with his three-year-old grandson, Landon, who passed away last year. Always the caretaker, Landon is now in Bob’s loving arms.