Kendra Donnell Brown Hardy was born March 2nd 1980 on a Sunday in Little Rock, Arkansas. She was the apple of her daddy's eye, but had too little time with her dad. He was tragically taken when she was only three. Her granddaddy had a farm and she loved going to the barn to help with chores. Before heading out to milk the cows, they didn't dare forget her Milken Crackers from a box of graham crackers on top of the refrigerator. Kendra's mom, Pam, with the help of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins raised Kendra in Stillwater, Oklahoma.
In first grade she joined a brownie troop and has been an active member of the girl scouts of America ever since. Even as a college student at Oklahoma State University, Kendra helped with the local troops. As a member and president of the Interact Club, a student auxiliary of the Rotary Club, Kendra helped with Angel Tree, Habitat for Humanity and Santa’s Clothes, where they shopped with children in need of clothing, coats and shoes. Through this organization Kendra was selected to represent the student rotary in Washington DC.
In college she studied accounting and came to love all things OSU. Her degree provided a career path and fueled her exuberant school spirit she shared with her mom. This led her husband, Brad to call them the crazy ladies as they cheered the OSU “pokes” football team, jumping up and down and often even standing on the furniture!
Yes, Brad fell in love with Kendra in spite of her craziness and because of her amazing joyful spirit. They were married August 11th 2007and began their life together. A few years later they celebrated a belated honeymoon with a cruise. Kendra was addicted! They have enjoyed several cruises together ever since.
The birth of their first son occurred on the same day as Kendra's dentist appointment. Zach almost had his first dentist visit that day because Kendra's water broke right there in the office. It was a very exciting day for everyone. Two more beautiful boys were added to the family and Kendra and Brad could not be more proud and blessed to be the parents of Zachary, Lucas and Adam.
Although she was the mother of all boys, Kendra wasn't ready to give up Girl Scouting. She wanted to share her love of Girl Scouts and what it meant to the formation of her character with other girls, especially her nieces Amanda and Teylar. One Troop wasn't enough for Kendra, she had two separate troops! She was involved in product sales and much more for the Las Vegas Area Girl Scouts. Many years Brad would come home to find the driveway so full of Girl Scout cookies that he couldn’t park his car.
As a wife, Kendra loved and supported Brad and his passion for racing. She attended races, awards ceremonies and they both made many good friends in the National Hot Rod Association. As a Mom, Kendra always made sure that the boys were involved in positive activities that they loved, even when that meant trying out a few that didn’t work out. Baseball has become a real family endeavor and Kendra has been involved with all of the teams from the beginning. Of course Pam and Brad helped out because Kendra had not perfected the ability to be in three different place at the same time. Brad told me that it would take three people to do what Kendra did most days.
Faith in God has been a part of Kendra's life from her very beginning on this earth. Her parents introduced her to their congregation and choir when she was only two weeks old. She made a declaration of faith and was baptized at nine years old. Even in college when many young people sleep in on Sunday and rebel against their upbringing, Kendra attended services and worshiped God. As the boys became old enough, Kendra volunteered in Canyon Ridge Children's Ministry and also the Awana program. She took her boys to church and Sunday school and led them in faith by example. Brad shared with me that when Zach was very young, he always wanted to go to the ‘Parking Lot’. It was his way of saying he wanted to go to church, because Canyon Ridge has such large parking lots. Last week, on our way North on Jones Blvd, Lucas and Adam saw the church and said “I miss going to church”.
Kendra put into practice the proverb “Train up a child in the way that he should go, and even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6
Well done, good and faithful servant. You did good Momma!
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