Hilda Kendall (nee Bepple)
On September 9, 2014 Hilda passed away after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. Mom was born in Alexanderfeld, Romania to George and Katharina Bepple on April 16, 1925. She immigrated with her family to Canada when she was three. In 1949 she married her first husband Larry and together they had eight children. Together with him they opened the Brown Owl Bakery and the Sharon Café.
Mom worked throughout the years at different restaurants around town. She attended Cariboo College and received her certificate from the Culinary Arts program. She then worked for the Overlander Care Home until her retirement. Mom’s cooking and baking were well known throughout her career and her children benefitted from the wonderful meals she provided, some ending with one of her pies, which we all loved. Whenever we arrived home for a visit, there was always a pot of soup on the stove awaiting our arrival, with cakes or cookies and tea and coffee.
The arrival of grandchildren brought her much joy as she loved them all and spent as much time as she could with each of them. Sadly for the younger ones, Alzheimer’s had already robbed her of her sharp wit and winning smile.
Mom loved the outdoors and puttering in her garden. She spent many hours nursing her vegetable garden and planting flowers throughout her yard. We spent many weekends at Shuswap Lake which provided her with a much needed break from work. Mom loved to read and you could always find her with a book in her hand.
Mom attended church all her life and she loved to sing. When she was in Ponderosa, she loved the music hour and could still remember all the words to the songs.
We will miss her deeply. She cared for us with a steady and solid hand through a somewhat tumultuous life, never wavering in her strength. It was her strength of character that brought her through those rough waters and landed her safely ashore to live a quieter life. We are forever grateful for this and love her deeply for caring for us first and foremost.
Sadly, she spent far too long in care being placed in Ponderosa in 2001, followed by Kamloops Senior’s Village.
Mom is predeceased by her parents George and Katharina Bepple, an infant daughter Wanda Dean and her son Gordy Dean. She is predeceased by her first husband Larry Dean and her second husband Red Kendall. She is also predeceased by her brothers Ronald, Chris, Otto, and Oscar; her sisters Frieda Shelton and Alma Harding. She is survived by her children Walter Dean, Cliff Dean, and his children; Carly (Todd) Sherwood and their son Harry; Candace (Kris) Waters and their sons Tolson and Jackson; Gordy Dean and his daughter Angela (Grant) Wood, their daughters Rachel and Emma; Kelli Dean, and her children Hailey, Hanna and Ryne; Kathy Dean, Trish Berry, Don Dean, Susan Henderson and her children Quinn and Zak. She is also survived by her brother Hank and his wife Irene, brother-in-law Fred Harding, sister-in-laws Eva Bepple and Hedy Bepple, as well as many nieces and nephews.
The family would like to thank the nurses and care aids who looked after Mom through the years at Ponderosa and Kamloops Senior’s Village.
A Memorial Service for Hilda will take place in the Kamloops Funeral Home on September 18th, 2014 at 2:00pm.
2 Tributes
To all the Family, our thoughts are with you all in the passing of your Mom, Hilda. She was a great lady, and was a blessing to our family when she married our Dad, Red. Hilda was always helpful, considerate and caring to all of us. We too will miss her.
Barb & Ken Veillette (need Kendall) and family
As you gather this afternoon to celebrate the life of your mom, I too will be thinking of all of you and remembering her. Hilda was always such a pleasure to be with, and she brought out the best in Dad with her gentle way. I will always remember her with a smile on her face, that always seemed to be there, and her easy acceptance of our family into her life. We are very blessed that she came into our lives. She continues to be loved and missed.
Jackie & Jerry Veillette