She was the oldest of 4 children born to Alvin and Dorothy Bergstrom in March of 1946 in Menominee, MI, where she grew up and graduated high school. She later attended Northern Michigan University in Marquette, MI receiving a Bachelor of Science in Spanish and English. While attending NMU in 1967, she met her first husband, Jack Emery, while he was stationed in Marquette with the Air Force. They soon married and had four children, Chris, Amber, Janelle, and Jon and eventually relocated to Barling, AR following assignments in Sacramento, CA, Green Bay, WI, Austin, TX, Fort Smith, AR and Springdale, AR. Jack passed away in 1978. In 1984 she married Rev. Charles Kendall, whose wife Virginia had passed a few years prior. Diane joined Charles in Grand Prairie, TX combining her family with his resulting in a household of six children, including Charles’ sons Andrew and David.
Throughout her life, Diane served faithfully in her churches in the music, children’s, and women’s ministries. She played piano and the organ in both church and in educational settings. Professionally, she worked for several years as a school teacher, a music educator and an accompanist. She loved teaching, mentoring and encouraging, and took a genuine interest in the people who came into her life, regardless of the setting. Simply put, she cared for people, and it showed through her patience, her listening ear, her smiles, her wisdom, and her honesty. Above all, Diane loved her Savior Jesus Christ and that was evident in her personality and character as she pointed her family, friends, co-workers, and students to His Gospel by sharing how He saved and changed her.
Diane is preceded in death by her father, mother, and first husband.
Diane is survived by her husband of 34 years, Charles Kendall; by her children Chris and his wife, Joy, Amber, Andrew and his wife, Becky, Janelle and her husband, James, Jon and his wife, Jennifer, David and his wife, Cate; grandchildren: Jackson, Kristen, Brandon, Grace, Ethan, Tallon, Olivia, Eli, Claire, Ben, Victoria, Silas, Aurora; sisters: Elaine Jorgensen, Faye Klitzke; brother Tim Bergstrom as well as a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and wonderful Christian friends.
Visitation will be held on Saturday, September 8, 2018 at 9:00am, at Lakeview Baptist Church, with funeral service starting at 11:00am. A private burial will take place at the DFW National Cemetery at a later time.
In lieu of flowers please feel free to make a donation to the Pregnancy Resource Center of Grand Prairie, 2305 Oak Lane, Bldg 4B-Ste 101, Grand Prairie, TX 75051.
PALLBEARERS
Chris EmeryActive
Jon EmeryActive
David KendallActive
Andrew KendallActive
Ethan KendallActive
Tallon CoxeActive
Jackson EmeryActive
Brandon EmeryActive
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