Patricia (Pat) was born on December 10, 1943, in Twin Falls, Idaho, to Dean and Shirley Kendrick. She attended Twin Falls High School and attended Idaho State University and then the University of Idaho, where she met the love of her life, Dennis Tabel, a Navy ROTC student. The two married on June 20, 1964. They raised two girls, Kristina and Cheri.
After Dennis left the Navy in 1968, they moved to Arlington Heights, Illinois, and then Omaha, Nebraska, where Pat began working as a teacher’s aide at the girls' elementary school, Montclair. In 1981 the family moved to Lenexa, Kansas, and Pat began working in the insurance industry as an administrative assistant. The majority of her career would be spent with Fidelity & Deposit working as an executive assistant doing work she loved with people she cared about deeply. She took great pride in delivering a high level of customer service to all those she interacted with in her role.
Pat and Dennis loved their church and their church people. They were pioneers for Christ Lutheran Church, and Pat served in many roles. Her Bible study groups, though, were everything to her. Forming friendships that sustained her during the most difficult times, Pat was so proud of sharing the Word with many beautiful, caring souls through the years.
Pat’s first love was horses and riding. Her family raised horses, and Pat loved barrel racing with her horses in fairs and rodeos in the area. Her greatest love, though, was her two grandsons, Jackson and Tanner, her pride and joy. She shared with them her love of music and movies, education, books, animals, traveling and her sense of sass. There was nothing she loved more than having them both in her home, running through the house and laughing. They will miss her Nana-hugs terribly.
Pat was preceded in death by her husband, Dennis, father, H. Dean Kendrick, mother, Shirley Gramse Kendrick, and sister, Linda Kendrick. She is survived by her two daughters, Kristina (Marvin) Cole and grandson, Tanner; Cheri Tabel and grandson, Jackson; and her sister, Shirley Anne White and her nieces and nephew. Funeral services to be held Thursday, May 27, at Christ Lutheran Church in Overland Park, Kansas; visitation at 9:30 a.m., service to follow at 10:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Great Plains SPCA or the The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
