Kayleen Suzanne Gendoes-Razo

Our sweet Kayleen entered this world earlier than expected on May 22nd 2000 and left us far too soon on December 30th 2024. Kayleen was always a curious child, growing up as the 2nd oldest of 7 with many more "adopted" siblings along the way. She spent her childhood chasing after her oldest brother, making sure to be included in everything. She had a way of making sure everyone knew she was there! When her next brother was born she made it known that she was the BIG sister. The next 2 brothers got her "momma" treatment by carrying them wherever she could and always fussing over them. When her sister arrived Kayleen was 12 and fell in love at first sight... until they shared a room and it became an annoyed kind of love but still pure love. By the time her baby brother was born Kayleen was an adult with a child of her own but she made sure to spend time with him and form that sisterly bond. Always letting him know she loved him. Throughout her childhood Kayleen loved to help mom and try to be the mom anytime we would let her. Always "momma's little chef" she adored cooking from a young age and helped mom and grandma in the kitchen wherever she could. Kayleen was born in Grand Junction where she spent most of her life, living in Minnesota and Utah for a time as well in her early years. Kayleen met the man she chose to be her daddy when she was 9 and decided that was her dad and there was no changing her mind! Later the family went on another adventure to Washington state where Kayleen attended 2 years of high school and graduated from Challenger HS in 2018. However, the Rocky Mountains always called her home and "Miss Independent" was on to her next endeavor. She attended Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts in Boulder, CO, where she met the love of her life, Jesse. Both were shy in their own way but Kayleen decided to go for it and invited him to a Rockies game. They became inseparable not long after that, not knowing what it was but knowing it was beautiful! Soon Kayleen and Jesse made a family of their own when they welcomed their son, Jayden, to the world in November 2019. Kayleen was still in college but she embraced motherhood like she was born to it and loved her son with everything she was. Kayleen was determined to graduate and did walk across that stage in 2021. Jesse, Kayleen and their son moved back to Grand Junction in December 2019 to start a new life near family. Over the next 5 years Kayleen brought her knowledge to life in the kitchen and loved working at her last job the most. Nothing made Kayleen light up more than family and cherished every Sunday night dinners. Even though the kitchen was her happy place, Kayleen’s true passion was spending time with her best friend and husband, Jesse, and watching Jayden grow each day, surrounded by family and friends. Kayleen was welcomed into heaven by her grandfather, Duane, her uncle, Keith, her cousin, Eliana and all our family that has gone before us. Kayleen lives on in the hearts and minds of her husband, Jesse, her son, Jayden, her parents, Michael and Suzanne, her siblings Kristopher (Morgyn), James, Nicholas, Jacob (Destiny), Michael, Natalie, Kingston, Christian (Bree), Evan, Alan (Rose), Anthony (Skylar) and Benjamin. Along with her grandmother Natalie, her nieces and nephew, Adalynn, Haysen, Teagan and Stella. Her aunts Elizabeth, Kimberly (Shaun), Sam (Lonnie) and her uncles Sean and Soloman along with many others she bestowed those titles on throughout the years. She is also loved by her cousins Brooke, William, Katlyn, William, Emily. Her brother in law Blake and many aunts, uncles, great aunts and uncles, extended cousins and friends that she made family over her lifetime. To know Kayleen was to love her and to love her was truly amazing. She had a special way of being angry for a split second and then making you smile the next... it was truly wonderous and hilarious to watch. Kayleen always knew what to say and she was genuinely the kindest person anyone has ever had the pleasure to meet. She never met an enemy that didn't become a friend...

A viewing will be held in Grand Junction at Callahan Edfast Mortuary on January 24th 2025 from 1-5 p.m. and a Celebration of Life will be held at Canyon View Vinyard Church on January 25th at 3 p.m. with food and good company to follow the service. The family will meet at Grand Mesa Middle School parking lot at 2:00 p.m. before her Celebration of Life to gather for her procession to the church. We will leave the school at 2:30 p.m. All of her family and friends are welcome to join us as we take one last ride with her.

Any donations can be made in Kayleen’s memory to Callahan Edfast Mortuary or to the gofundme that her family has set up. The link to that is https://gofund.me/11fa27b2 or there is Zelle linked to [email protected] with all proceeds going to assist her family during this difficult time. With love from all of us