Mildred A Kendall

July 9, 1936 - Sept. 16, 2024

MILDRED ANNE SCHMIDTMAN KENDALL (M.A.) Mildred Anne Schmidtman Kendall (M.A.) was born July 9, 1936 in New London, Connecticut. She passed away on September 16, 2024 in Lynnwood, Washington. M.A. was a remarkable woman. She devoted boundless energy to her family and her community. She was married to her great love, Neil Forrest Kendall, for 66 years. They embraced the joys and challenges of raising children, pursuing careers, serving those in need, and cultivating their own deep love for one another. M.A. was our mom, our mother-in-law, our grandmother, our sister, our sister-in-law, our aunt, our Gamma, and our friend. She was the glue that bonded family and friends across generations, years, and miles. M.A. leaves behind her daughter Katherine Anne (Kendall) Kirkpatrick of Garden City, Idaho; her son Bruce William Kendall and his wife Sara Schreiner Kendall of University Place, Washington; her daughter-in-law, Dori Shoji of Seattle, Washington; her grandchildren: including Patrick Kendall and his wife Margaux Faris Kendall; Jackson Kendall and his wife Victoria (Tory) Stolper; Casey Kendall and his wife Emily Xu Hall; Kendall Anne Kirkpatrick; and Caroline Kirkpatrick; and her great-granddaughter Madelyn Kendall. She left behind her beloved husband, Neil, who passed away just seven days after M.A. died (see adjacent obituary). She also leaves behind her brother John (Jack) Schmidtman and sister-in-law Fran Schmidtman of Quincy, Florida; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her son Stephen (Steve) Kendall; her son-in-law Dana Kirkpatrick; her brother William (Bill) Schmidtman and his wife Barbara Schmidtman; and her sister-in-law Carole Barber. M.A. grew up in a U.S. Coast Guard family with her parents Richard (Dick) Schmidtman and Mildred (Julie) Gallup Schmidtman; and her brothers Bill and Jack. They were a tight knit group navigating multiple duty stations together. She landed in Lakewood, Ohio for the final two years of high school, graduating from Lakewood High School in 1954. While there she met Neil, but they never dated. With a twinkle in her eye M.A. was fond of saying that Neil was too popular to pay attention to the new girl. After graduation M.A. enrolled in Connecticut College in New London. She was an excellent student, majoring in History and French. As fortune would have it, Neil was simultaneously attending the Coast Guard Academy less than a mile down the road. They dated and became engaged while in college and were married in the academy chapel soon after graduating in 1958. Years later the grandkids were delighted when they learned that Gamma and Poppa cut their wedding cake with the groom’s newly issued sword. Their marriage odyssey took them from New London (CT) to Port Angeles (WA), Athens (GA), Ketchikan (AK), back to Port Angeles, Rockville (MD), Bellevue (WA), Oxon Hill (MD), Governors Island (NY), Washington DC, Groton (CT), and Marysville (WA). The family grew quickly; Steve and Bruce were born in Washington State and Katie in Alaska. The kids were alternately thankful and bit rebellious as they entered new schools, made new friends and learned the difference between ‘pop’, ‘soda’, and ‘coke’ depending on the time zone. M.A. managed it all with aplomb. Each house became a home because M.A. worked hard to make it so, including single-handedly sewing custom lined draperies for each room. M.A. and Neil were an impressive team. Their love was expressed as much by their actions as their words. Raising kids in the 1960s and 70s was not for the faint of heart and they had wonderful hearts. Daily family dinners, delicious school lunch box treats, homemade Toll House cookies for dessert, and scrapple with grits on the regular breakfast rotation were all part of M.A.’s culinary repertoire. She crafted crab cakes worthy of a Michelin star and baked a legendary chocolate cake from scratch for hundreds of birthdays. She created a chore calendar for the kids starting at a very young age, including Katie using a step stool to wash the dinner dishes. She was a Den Mother, Bluebird Troop Leader, a PTA officer, a carpool organizer, and ever-present at the kids’ sporting events and school functions. She was an accomplished seamstress and knitter, making beautiful dresses, shirts, hats, and sweaters for family and friends. She nailed the Sunday New York Times crossword puzzle every week, and was a notoriously excellent Oh Hell card player, regularly gliding to victories over her husband, parents, siblings, children, grandchildren, friends and strangers. She also loved playing bridge with Neil and their Coast Guard friends. She embraced personal fitness early on, jumping in with Jack LaLanne in the 1960’s, jazzercise and running in the 70’s, and aerobics in the 80’s. Upon retirement, Neil and M.A. joined gyms and were regular workout partners focusing on weight training and balance. M.A. and Neil knew how to throw a party, organize bridge games, and show overnight guests the wonders of the Pacific Northwest. They rarely missed a Connecticut College or Coast Guard Academy reunion and in retirement took great delight in coast-to-coast and overseas travel. They ensured that family and holiday Happy Hours were observed with the appropriate level of reverence, introducing the wonders of Old Fashioneds, Manhattans and Martinis (and pop for the kids) to multiple generations. Accompanied by cream cheese drenched in Pickapeppa sauce (with Wheat Thins on the side) and cucumber sticks filled with peanut butter, M.A. made sure these cocktail hours provided a wonderful bonding experience. M.A. supported Neil’s career through her involvement with Coast Guard Officers Wives Clubs, galas, and other philanthropic and social affairs. No one could read a room of uniforms and evening gowns better than M.A. She arrived on time and stayed until the conversations were over and the dishes were done. M.A.’s own career outside the home started in earnest once the kids were independent. She had a memorable stint in New York City working as an administrative assistant for the head of a Wall Street firm. Taken aback by the coarse language of her colleagues, M.A. made it her mission to correct their grammar and suggest they not swear so often. Later she was the assistant to the President of Georgetown University a job she really loved as it involved softer language and higher ideals. M.A. found her most passionate career calling in 1994 when she joined the Assistance League of Everett (ALE). ALE became her second family. For 30 years she threw herself into volunteering for ALE and served in every leadership position and worker-bee opportunity that existed, including president. She led ALE on an impressive $2.50 million capital campaign in 2002. She loved ALE’s philanthropic mission of helping children and families in Snohomish County. Her graceful leadership inspired many people, including one ALE friend who recently wrote: “In my life I have seldom come across anyone with the morals, the conviction, and the complete acquiescence of ego for good as M.A.” M.A. and Neil were also big fans of live theatre, attending hundreds of shows in Everett, Issaquah, Seattle, Tacoma, Boise, Eagle (ID), New York City and Edinburgh. M.A. was known as Gamma to her five grandchildren and one great-grandchild. She treasured every birthday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, graduation, Independence Day, sporting event, drama production, career move, and engagement. They loved her right back with profound affection. M.A. was a gem. She and Neil moved into the Quail Park retirement community in Lynnwood earlier this year to ensure that Neil received the care he needed. The family was stunned when M.A. was diagnosed with Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD) and eventually lung cancer. She was a healthy non-smoker, so this was quite a curve ball. During a 17 day hospital stay she was fully engaged with the care team. They marveled at her youthfulness, especially her skin at age 88. Upon request, she happily offered facial care tips to the staff. In early September M.A. entered hospice care at home and passed away in a few days. When Neil died a week later it was no surprise to our family who knew the deep love and companionship that bonded them for 68 years. They sustained one another until the end. The day before she died, M.A. said to the family, “I have had a good run and a great life.” A Celebration of Life for M.A. and Neil will be held in early 2025. In lieu of flowers, please make a gift to the Assistance League of Everett www.assistanceleague.org