Submitted by Larry Bowman
Dear friends,
After years of declining health, my sister Carolyn Kendall has just graduated at the age of 88. Four of her five children, plus a grandson, were at her bedside when she passed. Her middle son, who lives just a few blocks away, had returned to his home but is now back on his way to the house on Salvington. Both of Carolyn’s children from out of state were among those who saw her leave her mortal life. Marilynn Kulieke visited the house both yesterday and today but had left this afternoon before Carolyn died.
As the daughter of a man who had been in on the Urantia revelation from the very beginning, Carolyn joined the Forum in late 1951, a few months after graduating from high school. A few months later she began working for Dr. Sadler as a receptionist for his psychiatric practice, and from him she heard firsthand about his longtime patient who was the sleeping subject through which the Urantia papers started appearing in the 1920s into the ‘30s. She continued working for Doctor until late January 1954, just a day or two before her oldest son was born several weeks prematurely. Carolyn was a charter member of the First Society in 1956 and a founder of Orvonton Society in 1961. Later she and husband Tom Kendall transferred their membership back to First Society, and over the years she held a number of positions in that society.
Carolyn was elected to Urantia Brotherhood General Council in 1967 and served almost two full terms. In 1975 she became chair of Fraternal Relations Committee (which I think is now Interfaith), and in 1982 she was elected Vice President of the Brotherhood. She was chair of the two conferences that were held in Wisconsin (1978 and ’84).
Here are two fairly recent photos of Carolyn at 533 Diversey. The first was taken by Anthony Finstad in 2018 and is of the two of us:
The second is courtesy of Joshua Wilson and was taken just a year ago, when he and Carolyn’s youngest son, Neal, were presenters at a Scientific Symposium sponsored by Urantia Foundation.
(Josh is on the left and Neal is on the right.) This was Carolyn’s last time at 533. The following day she fell, went into the hospital, then a nursing home, and it has been downhill ever since.
The woman in the background is Jackie Beatty, who has been a caregiver for more than three years. When she first met Carolyn, she noticed all the copies of the Urantia Book on the bookshelves and mentioned that she had read the book years before. Becoming acquainted with Carolyn reinvigorated Jackie’s interest in the UB, and she attended a few study groups and the Midwest Conference at Techny in 2018. More recently, as Carolyn has become less lucid, Jackie would read to her from the UB. In my last conversation with my sister, she told me, “Jackie has really enjoyed meeting Dr. Sadler.”
The family is happy that their mom’s long ordeal is finally over. If you wish to send cards to the Kendall Family, the address is:
1400 W. Salvington Pl.
Wheeling, IL 60090
Another time I will share the story of how the street got its name. That house has a lot of history.
Carolyn was looking forward to once again seeing Tom Kendall, our parents, all the recent Urantia Book readers who have passed on to the Mansion Worlds, and numerous others.
Godspeed.
In loving fellowship, Larry Bowman, General Council
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Thank you, Larry. What an amazing woman, your sister Carolyn. The history and stories of your parents, your family, Tom Kendall, the Sadlers, and then on into our big Urantia family, just boggles the mind, but warms the heart.
We are so grateful for you sharing these details of Carolyn's ascension career journey that embraces points from Salvington Pl, Illinois, to Salvington, Nebadon.
PS You two look so shining and loving in the photograph! ♥️♥️
Peace, Joshua Wilson
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Marilynn and I spent a great deal of wonderful time together with Carolyn: countless study groups, First Society Governing Committee meetings, the many, many drives from the suburbs to Chicago and back. I have enjoyed so many discussions with Carolyn about the history of the fifth revelation (we created the slide tape in the 1970s of the history together with Barb and and I edited her early drafts of a history that is now being completed by Marilynn and Gard Jameson), the teachings of the book, her family, and everything else. I would have loved to talked to her about today’s momentous event.
I count myself lucky to consider her five children, as I did Tom, my friends. My parents were friends with Tom and Carolyn. I believe it to be evidence of something very positive about the Urantia community that we have so many rich multi-generational friendships.
After not seeing Carolyn as much in the last year, it is quite easy for me to feel that my friendship with her is only briefly interrupted. Very few were as committed to, as passionate about, or contributed as much to our young revelation as did Carolyn. We love and miss her, but it will not be for long.
David Kulieke
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Larry,
I'm sorry for your and your family's loss.
While we certainly all understand it as heaven's gain and a brief interruption, that temporary interruption of one person's love is deeply missed.
I had the privilege of seeing her briefly at 533 last year for the last time. She truly loved her fellow Urantians as though her "children together even as a hen gathers her own brood under her wings." At least, that is the feeling of familiarity that ensued in her presence.
Godspeed Carolyn! André Redatus
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Thank you, Larry, for letting us know.
Your sister ... OUR sister ... Carolyn was such a wonderful beacon of love and grace, and such a constant bounty of tradition and history for so many of us!
What a treasure she is and has been!!
As with so many great souls in our movement that have passed on in the last few years, we are deeply beholden to her for her decades of tireless service and devotion to this revelation that has so graced our lives.
Marvin Gawryn
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Larry, I rejoice with you in the memory of your incredible sister's life. Carolyn left her mark on our planet and in so many people's hearts. As Andre stated its "heaven's gain". Carolyn's mortal efforts of eternal value continue to uplift our planet.
Much love, Robert Burns
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Dear Larry,
Below is a message from Matthew, and I add my condolences to his. With much love.
Saskia Raevouri
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To Larry and all:
Carolyn was a wonderful person and I'll always remember her warmly. She was so welcoming to me as a new Urantia reader, so willing to share what she'd heard about the early days.
We worked together at the Fellowship office in the early 1990s, when I first started finding sources for the UB, and I was excited by her interest and enthusiasm.
I'm also thankful to her for sharing your father's Forum memoranda with me. I hope they'll be made public. It would be very helpful to compile and publish (at least online) all the essays, articles and reports Carolyn wrote or co-wrote relating to Urantia. I understand she contributed to the Urantia Foundation's forthcoming history project, but I doubt it will do her writings justice.
I hadn't seen Carolyn for about 20 years, so it was touching to see the recent photos of her. She was beautiful. She also had a great voice, calm and resonant. I've missed her for years but I'm very grateful to have known her.
Love, Matt (Matthew Block)
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In addition to a lifetime of service, Carolyn was a diligent historian and record-keeper, and we have her to thank for carefully preserving many of the early documents and memories from the beginning of the movement. Here is the link to a lovely website her family created, filled with photos and a place to post a message or tribute. https://www.forevermissed.com/carolyn-anne-kendall/about
Love, Sue Snider Seccombe
