Henrietta Maria Pelcer Kendall, 90, Lived A Full And Vibrant Life

MANASSAS, VA — Henrietta Maria Pelcer Kendall passed away on Aug. 29, 2020 at the Birmingham Green Nursing Home in Manassas, Virginia.

She was the loving mother to six children — Helen, Joyce, Douglas Jr., Rosalie, Kent and Richard — and grandmother to 13 grandchildren: Mikey, Bobby, Daniel, Laura, Allison, Kelley, Ashley, Brianna, Clarissa, David, Jacob, Emily and Lianne. She also had two great grandkids, Celia and Abby.

Henrietta Maria Pelcer Kendall was born July 31, 1930 in Manhattan, New York, the daughter of Cecilia Rose DeFex and William Pelcer. She was the eldest of seven children: Ligia, Rosie, Billy, Carlos, Bobby and Helen. She helped her mom with the care and raising of her siblings.

Henrietta lived a full and vibrant life. After high school she went to Columbia University where she studied communications. She spoke four languages and worked briefly as a translator at the United Nations.

She met and fell in love with a boy she grew up with originally from Brooklyn named Douglas Arthur Kendall whom she married on May 28, 1955. The married couple started a family and lived in New York City, Broomall, Pennsylvania, Yonkers, New York and Burke Centre, Virginia where Henrietta lavished her love on her six children.

While raising her family in Yonkers, they were members of St. Barnabas Church. After her divorce she lived in Manassas where Pepper, the dog she rescued, became her faithful companion. While there she enjoyed expanding her community of friends with the neighbors she met.

Eventually she sold her home and moved into Emeritus assisted living. After several years there she moved to Willow Oaks and finished her days at the Birmingham Green Nursing home.

At all her homes, she grew her community of friends; she shared her love of singing leading many Christmas pageants and more. In all her homes, she was on a mission to know and love those whom she had the joy to connect and communicate with.

Henrietta loved to dance, sing and she especially loved to learn about others through their stories. She loved to listen to the pop diva’s on the radio, as well as the sultry sounds of the Rat Pack, as she sang along doing housework; first taking care of her six brothers and sisters and then her own six children.

Henrietta, or better known by family as “Queta” and later by many friends who called her “Henri,” loved the art of conversation and learning about people through their stories. To know our mother was also to be known by our mother. She wanted to know who you were and let you know that all your stories, both great and small, were important. She loved to exchange life stories and know all she could of those fortunate enough to be in her circle. Henrietta never met a person she could not befriend or a friend she could not love. She never had a bad word to say about anyone. She was forever and always a kind soul.

She lived by the holy principle that all people are precious and all are to be loved; she blessed everyone she met. She appreciated that conversation led to understanding and that understanding led to wisdom, purpose and peace. At Birmingham Green she was visited by her devoted daughters, grand-children and other family members.

She passed away in the loving care of the Birmingham staff on Aug. 29, 2020.

Please join her friends and family in loving memory and in celebration of Henrietta at Colonial Funeral Home, 201 Edwards Ferry Road, NE, Leesburg, VA 20176 on Sept. 9, 2020 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. for a viewing.

Mass and funeral services will be at St. John the Apostle Catholic Church, 101 Oakcrest Manor Drive, Leesburg VA 20176 at 10 a.m. on Sept. 10. Burial service will follow at St. John Cemetery.

Please honor Henrietta’s legacy by listening to other people’s stories and share your story of life with our beloved Henrietta.