A.B. Kendrick

A.B. Kendrick was born November 1, 1934 in Pottsville, Arkansas; the son of W. C. and Lizzie Ann (Abney) Kendrick. A.B. moved with his family at an early age to Cleveland, Oklahoma where he received his education; graduating from Cleveland High School in 1953. A.B. was inducted into the service of his country in the United States Navy on September 8, 1954. He served nearly nine years as an Aviation Electronics Petty Officer, spending much of his time with Utility Squadron Seven. He was honorably discharged on December 12, 1963 and received four Good Conduct Medals for his service. During his service, A. B. met the love of his life, Emma Jo Eller in Oakland, California. The couple was married on August 25, 1956. They made their initial home in Coronado, California when A. B. was assigned to the Naval Air Station, North Island, located at the north end of the Coronado peninsula on San Diego Bay. Later they moved to San Diego, Live Oak, and Westminster while residing in California. In 1963, the Kendrick family moved to Hominy, Oklahoma where he accepted employment working for the City of Hominy for a short time before accepting a position with Charley Pierce in the oilfields. The Kendrick family later moved to Cleveland when A. B. obtained a position with the State of Oklahoma working at Hissom Memoiral. He was medically retired in 1992 after a year and half at the Hissom Center. His passion, however, was his music. He was a self taught musician that played the bass and rhythm guitar. He was described by many of his fellow musicians as the best bass player in the State of Oklahoma. He had a beautiful voice and dreamed of someday performing at Carnegie Hall. He was member of the Merry Music Makers; playing every Tuesday at the Senior Center in Cleveland and on other invited occasions and often played at the Cleveland Manor Nursing Home, the Baptist Retirement Village and the Masonic Hall. He mostly enjoyed spending time with his family and loved making them laugh. He rarely played music at home unless friends came over to jam. He was also known as an extremely good story teller and also enjoyed fishing; two past times that go very well together. A. B. was a member of the Grace Baptist Church in Cleveland for many years and later transferred his membership to the First Baptist Church. A. B. passed away on Monday, June 1, 2009 at his home near Cleveland at the age of seventy-four. He is survived by his wife of nearly fifty-three years, Emma Jo of the home; three sons, Mark Alan Kendrick of Lake Elsinore, California, Randall Scott Kendrick of Oakley, California and Sean Joel Kendrick and Traci Sisk of Cleveland, Oklahoma; nine grandchildren, Brock, Steven, Johnathon, Scott, Kameron, Katelyn, Josie, Patrick and Raina Jo; four great-grandchildren, Paisley, Carson, Kaylee and Maddux; three sisters, Lena Mae Francis of Riverside, California, Patsy Ann Langston of Phoenix, Arizona, and Francis Irene Watley of Camdenton, Missouri. He was preceded in death by his parents; three sons, Steven P. Kendrick, Kevin D. Kendrick and Roger C. Kendrick; two brothers, Ray Kendrick and Buddy Kendrick; and a sister, sister, Sue Martin.