He was born on August 12, 1959 in Gastonia, NC to the late John Kendrick and Shirley Kendrick.
He graduated from Ashbrook High School and dedicated 39 years of his career to working at Freightliner. He had a passion for deer hunting, enjoyed cooking, loved spending time working in the yard, and was an avid fan of car shows, whether watching them or attending in person.
James was a devoted member of South Marietta Baptist Church and Peeples Deer Club. Although he had not been able to attend in recent years, he always valued his membership and the connections it provided.
In addition to his parents, he is preceded in passing by his brother, Tom Kendrick.
James is survived by his daughter, Lesley Kendrick Johnson and husband Kevin; sister-in-law, Patricia Lawing Kendrick and daughter, Hannah O’Quinn.
A graveside service was held at 1:00 pm on Thursday, March 6, 2025 at Gaston Memorial Park.
A special thank you to everyone at Morningside of Gastonia for the exceptional care they provided. We also want to express our heartfelt gratitude to Hospice Nurse Morgan who was truly special. She took the time to be with Dad every day until his passing, and her kindness meant the world to us.