Mary Kendall

Mary Gail Kendall, nee Gaugler, 80, of Stillwater, MN, passed away peacefully with her family by her side on Thursday, July 16, 2020 at her residence at Oak Park Senior Living.
Mary was born December 11, 1939 in Hibbing, MN, the third of three daughters to Ralph and Vivian (DeShaw) Gaugler. She graduated from Hibbing High School in 1957. On May 23, 1959, she was united in marriage to Dale Oren Kendall. They spent their first four years of married life in Hibbing, then moved with their three little girls to Red Wing for a time, and ultimately settled in Stillwater, where they were blessed with two more daughters.
Mary raised her five girls with equal measures of love and common sense. She sang to them at bathtime, comforted them when they were sick, made them bouncy pig tails, and taught them responsibility and the value of hard work. Her strong will and determination, born of necessity, kept her family together through hard times. She held several full-time jobs over the years, always dedicated to her duties. In retirement, she enjoyed gardening, collecting Fenton art glass, reading, gathering new recipes, making raspberry jam, and spending time with her daughters and their families.
Mary is survived by her husband of 61 years, Dale; daughters Jackie (Tom) Jabens of Sun City West, AZ, Dorothy (Phil) Wilson of Grapevine, TX, Joan (Mark) Jirik of New Richmond, WI, Laurie (Steve) Hendrickson of River Falls, WI, and Amy Kendall of Newton, MA; grandchildren Mary Ann (Kendall) Ammons, Kristin Marie and Nichole Kay Jirik, Amanda Marie Hendrickson, Sarah Isabelle Jabens, and John Steven and Vivian Rose Patti; great-grandchildren Sophia Kay Jirik-Jouppi, Jacobi Micheal Espersen, Cami Shay Kuepper, and several nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her father and mother, and her sisters and their spouses: Jeanne and Leonard Kopec, formerly of Denver CO, and Nancy and Richard Bernard, formerly of Cottage Grove.
Mary’s family would like to thank the staff of Oak Park Senior Living and the Brighton Hospice staff for their tender care of her these recent weeks and months.
A Celebration of Life will take place Wednesday, July 22 at 3:00 p.m.at BRADSHAW, 2800 Curve Crest Boulevard, Stillwater.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to Brighton Hospice MN, the ASPCA, or in the manner chosen by friends.