Kendra R. Penrod

Kendra R. Penrod PLEASANT VIEW – Kendra Michelle Royster Penrod, 52, died Sunday, July 12, 2009 at McKay-Dee Hospital in Ogden due to complications from a stroke. She was born May 31, 1957 to Kenneth and Evelyn Van Boerem Royster. She graduated from Bonneville High School in 1975 where she put her boundless creativity to work in drama. She starred in any number of skits and plays where she danced, sang and acted her way across the stage and into the hearts of countless friends and admirers. In 1976, Kendra married Brice Nolan Penrod and settled down in Layton. They had one of those rare relationships most of us only dream about. Together they had two children, Whitney Paige and Jordan Shaun, of whom she was very proud. In 1979 she graduated from Weber State University with a degree in teaching. She taught primary education for many years, most recently at Taylor Elementary School. Believing that love and stability were as important as education, she gave her young students full measures of each. She loved to teach and made her classroom as delightful a place as any child could imagine. She was active in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Oak Lane Ward in Layton, where she served as Beehive Advisor for the young women of the ward. Kendra enjoyed traveling and spending time with her family. She enjoyed antiques, restoring old things and discovering unusual and fun treasures at garage sales and second-hand stores. She celebrated her heritage, loving anything Dutch. On May 19, 2002, she was disabled with a stroke. We lost too much of the lively, loving and happy girl we loved so much that day. From then on, her life was filled with more pain than anyone should have to endure, but she took it all with grace and dignity and tried to enjoy every moment she could. Her husband Brice helped make these times happier. He took on the hero’s task of caring for her for the rest of her days with great love and constancy, and was grateful for every one of them. She came close to death more times than we can count, but she wanted to stay on earth with her family and watch her children grow up. She was able to see them through to adulthood. She left us knowing that they were equipped to handle the future. We take comfort in knowing that Kendra’s suffering has ended and she is at peace, delighting anew in those who preceded her in death, her mother, Evelyn; her brother, Rick, and her sister-in-law, Julie. It must be quite a reunion. Surviving are her husband, Brice; her children, Whitney and Jordan, her father, Kenneth G. Royster and her brother, Greg (Pam) Royster, both of South Ogden. Funeral services will be held Thursday at 11 a.m. at Lindquist’s Ogden Mortuary, 3408 Washington Blvd. Friends may call at the mortuary on Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. and Thursday 9:45 to 10:45 a.m. Interment, Lindquist’s Washington Heights Memorial Park, 4500 Washington Blvd. Send condolences to the family at: www.lindquistmortuary.com