Berenice Kendall, 82, Was Wife and Mother

Berenice Kendall died on Jan. 16 at the Martha's Vineyard Hospital after a brief illness. She was 82.

Berenice Jane Nathan was born in Allentown, Pa. on Feb. 3, 1922. She grew up there, graduating from Mt. Penn High School where she starred for the basketball and swimming teams. She then moved to Philadelphia to live with the extended family of her beloved grandfather Michael Stiefel. In 1944 she met and married Norman Kendall M.D. who became professor of pediatrics at Temple University Medical School and St. Christopher's Hospital for Children. At St. Christopher's Hospital Mrs. Kendall founded a gift shop and toy store which she managed for years.

Mrs. Kendall derived her greatest pleasures as a homemaker, wife and mother. She became an avid gardener, painter and golfer. Berenice was a woman of exceptional beauty, both inside and out, which made her greatly adored by her family and a wide circle of friends.

Consistent with her well-roundedness, Berenice was an ardent fan of Philadelphia's Symphony Orchestra as well as its sports teams, the 76ers and Eagles. When she move to the Vineyard she took up the causes of the Red Sox and whatever soccer, baseball, basketball, lacrosse, and football teams her grandchildren were playing for.

Mrs. Kendall spent her last years at the assisted living unit at Windemere in Oak Bluffs. Her room became a lovely home; some of her own oil paintings and numerous family photos adorned the walls. There she spent many pleasurable hours on her cozy couch enjoying an array of visitors, including Sam the beautiful golden retriever, newly-made Vineyard friends, and most of all, he family. She also developed wonderful relationships with many of Windemere's loving staff.

Mrs. Kendall is survived by her sister Diane Wagman of Atlantic City, N.J., her brother Saul Nathan of Sudbury; her sons Peter Kendall of Dresher, Pa, and Stuart Kendall of West Tisbury; her daughters in law Diane Kendall, Marsha Smolev, and Bee Bee Horowitz; and her grandsons, Jonathan, Lukas, Tyler, Davis, Evan and Michael.