December 30, 1925 ~ March 31, 2023 (age 97)
Aileen Kendrick was born December 30, 1925 in Ellis, Kansas to Ben and Bertha Young. She was the oldest of three children. She spent the majority of her school years in Kansas, but her senior year the family moved to The Dalles, Oregon where she graduated from high school. While attending The Dalles High she was a majorette and a member of the Thespian Team. Aileen enjoyed playing the saxophone and clarinet in the band. After graduating, she became a bank teller at a local bank and later on she was selected to represent her town as Queen of the Dalles in the Portland Rose Festival. The war years came and the bank and other local businesses sponsored a social event for the soldiers in their honor. Gibney Kendrick Jr. was one of those soldiers and when he saw Aileen, in her pretty green dress he was determined to meet her. She had gone to the bathroom to clean up a spill on her new dress and when she came out, he was waiting to for her. They married October 1, 1946 in The Dalles and honeymooned at Timberline Lodge on Mt. Hood. Gibney was from Houston, Texas and an only child so the couple moved to College Station, TX, not being too far from home, where he finished up veterinary school and eventually had a ranch and veterinarian practice in Rosebud, TX. Aileen was his assistant many times in his vet business, there in the town of Rosebud. Later Aileen and family moved to Marlin, TX where she taught Bible class and was an Elder’s wife in the Church of Christ there and a member of the local Garden Club. Aileen was very dedicated to her husband and her children, they were her life! She spent countless summers at Texas Children s’ Hospital with her youngest child only taking a break to come home and shower and get a bite to eat. If there was a special event in her daughters’ lives, she made sure they had something nice or new to wear. There were times when she didn’t have time to even shop for herself, so ended up purchasing that one dress she liked in several different colors. She was a great manager of the home, amazing really. Aileen and Gibney had 8 grandchildren and made a point to take 7 of them, individually, on summer trips in their RV throughout the years. Most of the planning and prep for those trips was on Aileen and she made sure the grand kids had a memorable time. Gibney passed away in 2018 on their 72nd wedding anniversary. Aileen lived in Georgetown till 2019 and then went to live with one of her daughters and her husband in Stephenville, TX for 3 years and 4months. She passed from this life on March 31, 2023 at the age of 97 in her home in Stephenville, TX. Aileen was preceded in death by her parents (Ben and Bertha Young of The Dalles, OR), a brother (Bob Young of The Dalles, OR), her sister (Helen Foster of Oroville, CA), her husband (Dr. Gibney Kendrick Jr. of Georgetown, TX), her second daughter (Linda Fitte of Virginia Beach, VA and later SC) and her youngest daughter (Carroll Kendrick of Marlin, TX). She is survived by her oldest daughter (Karyn Douglas Daily and husband Charles of Arlington, TX) and her third daughter (Betty Lou Turner and husband Todd of Stephenville, TX.) Aileen had 8 grandchildren: Allen Douglas and wife Julie of Heber Springs, AR; Steven Douglas and wife Tiffany of Tulsa, OK; Amy Robinson and husband Randy of Nanjemoy, MD.; Cliff Fitte and wife Amy of Myrtle Beach, SC; Matthew Fitte and wife Danielle of Alvin, TX; Jonathan Fitte and wife Pam of Myrtle Beach, SC; Angie Bolanos and husband Francisco of Stephenville, TX and Marsi Carter and husband Brian of Temple, OK. Aileen is also survived by 14 great grandchildren along with 3 nieces and 4 nephews.
There is a Celebration of Life service planned for 2 P.M. Saturday, May 27th, 2023 @ The Stephenville Funeral Home’s Family Center/120 W. South Loop, Stephenville, TX. 76401. A small family tribute will be made to Aileen as her cremains will be interned with Gibney’s at 11A.M, Tuesday May 30, 2023 @ Central Texas Veteran’s Cemetery/11463 State Hwy. 195/Columbarium Niche-Section A16, Row C, Space 18/ Killeen,TX. Both services will be open for all wanting to honor Aileen Kendrick’s long life.
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