Robert Arthur Kendall
Obituary

Robert Arthur Kendall, known affectionately as Bob, passed away on June 18, 2025, at Pilgrim Place Retirement Community in Claremont, California, due to complications from Parkinson’s Disease. He was 85 years old.

Born in Los Angeles, California, Bob lived a full and multifaceted life, rooted in kindness, humor, music, and service. His gentle and courteous nature, paired with a quick wit and love for wordplay, made him a beloved friend and respected colleague.

Without a doubt, Bob had two passions. As a young boy, he spent two years at the Columbus Boy Choir School in Princeton, New Jersey. He remained a singer for the rest of his life. He sang in his high school choir and performed at the Hollywood Bowl with USC. In retirement, spending part of each year in Sun Valley, Idaho, he sang tenor with the Caritas Chorale. This group performed several times each year and traveled to venues in Europe on multiple occasions. In 2000, he and his second wife undertook a Musical Pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, having learned a cappella music written 800 to 1,000 years ago. Since he was still working that year, it wasn’t a walking pilgrimage—it was a singing one.

His other lifelong passion, inspired by summers spent at Balboa Island with his grandparents from the age of six until he went to college, was boats and fishing. He owned several boats over the years, went fishing with friends and clients, and, from 1997 to 2002, lived aboard a 40-foot boat with his wife at Newport Dunes in Newport Beach.

Bob attended the University of Southern California (USC) for both his undergraduate and law degrees. He graduated in 1965 with an LLB (now known as a Juris Doctor, a professional degree). He began his career at the firm of Adams, Duque and Hazeltine in Los Angeles, where he received early training and mentoring. His work with Dillingham Corporation, an engineering, construction, and development company founded in Hawaii, led to frequent travel between Los Angeles and Hawaii. His family was able to share some special times with him there, learning about Hawaiian culture, which enriched their lives. This experience later inspired him to create his own company, RAK Development. His full-time law work often led to more creative pursuits, and during this time, he built several homes in Orange County.

For a period, he worked with Steven A. Jones, in what is now known as Madden, Jones, Cole and Johnson. A few years later, Bob became a named partner in Rhodes, Kendall and Harrington, where he served as managing partner for several years in Orange County. 

In the late 1980s, he took another break from law by purchasing a franchise in Alpha Graphics, a printing business. He returned to legal practice in 1990, partnering with a younger lawyer, William Buckner. His final legal role was as a founding partner in the boutique law firm of Russell, Kendall and Mishalski, located on Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach—a relaxed atmosphere with engaging work. He retired in 2003, and he and his second wife, also a lawyer, began their retirements together. They jokingly called themselves “recovering lawyers.”

Bob had a gentle and kind personality, and a quick wit that made others laugh easily with his puns and clever turns of phrase. He was always courteous and earned the respect of all who knew him.

He loved and was proud of his two children, Cynthia and Will, and his two stepdaughters, Melinda and Risa. He was very glad he retired early, as he and his second wife were able to travel extensively in recreational vehicles and on a Honda Goldwing motorcycle (even using them for vacations and their honeymoon),  giving up “bricks and mortar” to embrace a freer lifestyle

Despite the challenges of Parkinson’s Disease, Bob never lost his gentle humor, his dignity, or his capacity for kindness. He was well-loved and respected in his retirement community by residents, staff, and administration alike.

He is survived by his wife, Nelda; his children, Cindy Kendall and Will Kendall; his stepchildren, Melinda Barrett and Risa Allison; his grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and his first wife, Carole Kendall. He was preceded in death by his father, Dean Raymond Kendall, Dean of the USC School of Music in the sixties, and his mother, Betsy Holman McClelland Kendall, who passed away when Bob was just six years old.

Friends said that he lived a “well-lived life,” and indeed, he did. His presence, warmth, and song will be deeply missed.

A private memorial for family and close friends will be held on August 3, 2025, at 9:30 AM indoors in Pilgrim Place Decker Hall, 730 Plymouth Road, Claremont, CA 91711. The scattering of the ashes will follow in the Penner Memorial Garden and will be private, for family only.