Rev. Kendrick L. Matthews

REV. KENDRICK LEON MATTHEWS graduated from this earth to join his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on December 10, 2018. He died peacefully at his home at the age of 70 years, three months, and three days and moved from a body that had been crippled by polio to the heavenly pain-free body that he had prayed for most of his life.

Kendrick was born on September 7, 1948 to Morris and Doris (Granlund) Matthews in a hospital in Hazard, Kentucky. He joined two other brothers, James and Roger, in their home at Viper, Kentucky and enjoyed life with them until the three boys (ages 4, 6 and 8) all contracted polio in the early 1950’s. Jim and Roger escaped the most severe repercussions of the disease but Ken developed severe bulbar polio which settled in the spine and, from age 4 to 14, he endured about 10 surgeries to try to correct spinal malformations and muscular problems. During that time, he was in and out of hospitals and convalescent homes in Lexington, Kentucky and received his education from his mother, who believed in home-schooling even before it was in vogue, and a friend who provided homework and tutoring. Around 1960, the family moved to Newman Grove, Nebraska. Because the high-school was not handicapped accessible, Ken attended class via an intercom that was connected from the school to his home. He was an excellent student in all areas except math (because he couldn’t see equations and formulas on the blackboard).

After the family moved to Alma, Nebraska, Kendrick graduated high school in 1966 and began attending Kearney State College (now the University of Nebraska at Kearney) with a double major: business and mathematics (still remembering his frustrations about not understanding math in high school, he took every math course that the college had to offer). At graduation, he had the highest to-date starting salary of any student from that college in his major and was offered a management training position with Osco Drug in a Chicago suburb. Some years later, being tired of driving in city traffic with a hand-control, he moved back to Nebraska. There, being an adventurist, he drove through the sandhills in his favorite Dodge Power Wagon with a specially made hand-control for a manual transmission: it was a challenge to hand operate a clutch, brake and foot-feed while still keeping the hand on the steering wheel!

Over the years Kendrick worked at Cozad, Nebraska as an office manager and in Plainview, Nebraska as a hospital administrator. He met the love of his life, Lynne, in Tekamah, Nebraska where he was a manufacturing controller at SharLo Homes. After their marriage in 1978, he and Lynne moved to Sioux Falls, SD where Ken was a controller over three manufacturing plants (Tekamah, Sioux Falls, and Blue Earth MN). Together, Ken and Lynne operated an adult foster-care program in Sioux Falls until they moved to Minneapolis and graduated from Spiritual Life Training Center. Following that training, they completed seminary training at the University of Dubuque Theological Seminary in Dubuque, Iowa and were ordained in the Presbyterian Church (USA). Together, the two founded four churches and have ministered in established churches in Nebraska, Illinois and Minnesota. Kendrick was blessed to serve as Senior Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Holland, Minnesota and after his retirement, on November 2, 2013, as Pastor Emeritus.

When he wasn’t preaching the word of the Lord, Kendrick spent his time painting, woodworking, and writing poetry for Lynne. Kendrick had a great love of music, and took every chance he could to sing. He was a man with integrity and was pure of heart, offering his unconditional love to anyone that needed it. Kendrick was also a man that was optimistic and was strong in his convictions. He loved his wife and daughter, and had a great love for all of his family members. Above all, Kendrick loved his Lord.

He was preceded in death by an infant son, Levi Kendrick and his father, Rev. Morris A. Matthews. He is survived by his wife, Sharon Lynne; daughter, Kristi DoriAnn; his mother, Doris Ilene Matthews; brothers, James (Luella) Matthews of Norfolk, Nebraska and Roger (Donna) Matthews of Knoxville, Tennessee; many nieces and nephews, and many other friends and family.

Memorials may be directed to the Holland First Responders or the First Presbyterian Church in Holland.