WILLIAM RICHARD KENDRICK, JR (Bill) has entered eternal peace on June 27, 2022 in Ranger, Texas at 80 years young. Visitation will be Saturday, July 2nd at 9:00 a.m. at Edwards Funeral Home, 211 Pine St, Ranger, Tx. Graveside services will follow at 11:00 a.m. at Bullock Cemetery.
Born February 21, 1942 in Austin, Texas to William Richard Kendrick, Sr. and Dorothy Jean Mees Kendrick – formally named after his dad and always answered to “Billy” growing up.
Eventually “Billy” gave way to “Bill”, as we all know him.
Bill moved from Austin to Waco to University Park (DFW) and finally settled in Abilene, Texas. Growing up, Bill enjoyed Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Eagle Scouts, playing the drums, football, church, swimming/diving and collecting stamps and precious stones. And during high school, Bill became a sports car enthusiast, owning a couple he worked hard to purchase on his own (1947 Chevy Convertible and an Austin Healy 100-4).
Bill graduated Abilene High School in 1960 and following many others in his family, went into the military as a MP stationed in Panama with the United States Army.
After the military, Bill worked in insurance and real estate (residential and commercial) and graduated from McMurry University in Abilene, Texas in a very accelerated 2.5 years. Bill was extremely intelligent and very diligent about finishing his degree, taking care of his family and working up to three jobs at a time.
Bill’s first daughter, Kim Marie Kendrick-Link, was born while he was in Abilene, Texas in 1964 and 10 years later, Bill’s second daughter, Elizabeth Jean (Jeannie) Ramirez, was born in New Orleans, LA in 1974.
Bill became very close to Jesus in February of 1981. He was baptized by the Holy Spirit and was never the same!
He met Maxine at a Full Gospel Businessmen’s Association meeting and they were married in 1977 in Abilene, TX. Bill gained a son, Lochwood Van Larson, and as a family, settled in Abilene, TX until moving to Brownsville, TX in 1985.
Upon moving to Brownsville, TX, Bill managed large shopping malls leveraging his real estate and insurance background. He also participated in the Rotary Club and the Economic Development Board. He was an Elder in Good Shephard Church and a part of many other civic and religious organizations.
Bill and Maxine moved to the Houston, TX area for a short time until a great flood occurred and forced them to move to North Texas where they enjoyed taking care of their granddaughter, Mia Ramirez, and Nana (Dorothy Jean Mees Kendrick), Bill’s mother.
In 2011, Bill and Maxine moved to Ranger, TX to help take care their mothers and retire.
In his free time, he devoted himself to serving Jesus through Full Gospel Businessmen’s Association, attending many church revivals and prayer meetings, traveling with Jacob Kurien to spread the Gospel and witnessing to anyone he felt prompted to pray over.
Bill loved animals and had many (just ask Maxine!) and promised his granddaughter, Mia, that they were all for her. He enjoyed collecting precious stones and seashells to share with his younger granddaughter, Whitney, and looked forward to spending time with friends and family.
We are so grateful for our amazing family who have selflessly helped care for Bill over the last couple of years. This is especially true of Maxine who has loved and cared for Bill during the hardest moments of their lives.
In Dad’s own words – “What a trip we have with God as our guide. I hope I can sneak into Heaven someday and I am counting on all of you and your families making it! I am certain Maxine will be there since they always need great piano/organ players. Maybe you should each get piano lessons from Maxine!”
Bill is survived by his loving wife, Maxine, in Ranger, TX, daughter Kim Marie Kendrick-Link and husband Tim Link of Cumming, GA and daughter Elizabeth Jean (Jeannie) Ramirez and husband Rick Ramirez of Frisco, TX, son, Lochwood Van Larson and wife Brandi Larson of Richardson, TX, sister Mary Ann Benson and husband Joseph Benson in Austin, TX, grandchildren, cousins and many other family members. Bill is preceded in death by his dad, William Richard Kendrick, Sr., mom, Dorothy Jean Mees Kendrick and many others he is reuniting with in Heaven.
