Carl Lloyd Kendall

On Wednesday, August 18, 2021, Carl Lloyd Kendall discovered the Sweet Mystery of Life. He was 93 years young. 

Carl was born on July 26, 1928, in Akron, Ohio, to Elmer Lloyd Kendall and Ruth Kent Hilton. He was the oldest of several children and moved with his mother and sister Eloise (Joy) to North Dakota temporarily taking as his last name Sorlie. In the 1940’s he moved to central Texas and it was in Texas that he resided the rest of his long, well lived, life. The people that were fortunate enough to know him refer to him lovingly as one of the “sweetest” or “gentlest” of men. He would go above and beyond for the people around him and that he loved. He was a charitable man, and he gave time and money to numerous charitable organizations and individuals. Whenever someone needed help, Carl was there with a servant’s heart. 

Carl attended the University of Texas where he met Theresa Holtz and married her on August 25, 1951. He voluntarily joined the United States Airforce on August 15, 1950, where he was part of the 6560th Research and Development Group, Lackland AFB, San Antonio, TX. He was honorably discharged in 1953. Carl attended Sam Houston State University in Huntsville earning a BS degree and additional graduate courses in Chemistry. He went on to work for the Texas Department of Corrections (Central Unit) in Sugarland Texas where he helped to design the Texas prison soap factory as a chemist. He worked for TDC from June 1965 until he retired in July 1980. They moved from Richmond, TX to Alto, then ultimately Dripping Springs where he spent the remainder of his life. 

A member of Dripping Springs United Methodist Church, Carl loved gardening and taking care of the various wildlife around his home. Anyone who spent any amount of time with him was quickly introduced to his love of singing, especially his favorite song, The Sweet Mystery of Life as sung by Mario Lanza. 

He is preceded in death by his wife of over 60 years, Theresa Ann Kendall, his mother and father, his sisters Joy Sorlie Bennack, Nancy Lee Kendall and Louise Ruth Kendall, and “adopted” son Rev. Terry Brown. He is survived by his sister, Shirley, sons Paul Lloyd (wife Carol) and David Arthur (wife Georgina), granddaughters Chelsea (husband Sumner), and Aeowyn (husband Roque), his great-grandchildren Joseph and Ashlinn. Also, there were several “adopted” individuals over the years, including Cindy Kendall, Bob and Georgia Hobbins, and David McArthur. 

The memorial service is scheduled for 2pm October 23, 2021 at Dripping Springs United Methodist Church, 28900 Ranch Road 12, Dripping Springs, TX 78620. Donations to Doctors Without Boarders (https://donate.doctorswithoutborders.org) or St. Jude’s (https://www.stjude.org) appreciated.

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