mike and ruth

We were quite surprised to hear of Uncle Ralph’s passing as we were preparing to leave town for a family event in Idaho, causing us to miss the funeral. His death saddened us, but we were further saddened not to be able to participate in the services. We pray for comfort to the family. Here is the obituary:
“Frankland Ralph Kennard passed away unexpectedly Saturday December 26, 2009 in Bountiful Utah. Ralph was born October 21, 1925 in Lovell Wyoming, the second of three children born to Frankland James Kennard and Elinor Scholes. Elinor, his mother, passed away when Ralph was five years old. Several years later, when Ralph was nine, Frank married Gladys Bischoff. Subsequently there were ten more children born to the family. Ralph graduated from Logan High School. He attended Utah State University for a semester before he was drafted into the Navy. While attending officers training in Pocatello Idaho he met Theora Wells. They were married June 25, 1945 in the Logan Temple. Ralph graduated from University of Idaho, Moscow with a Bachelors degree and later a Masters degree in Music Education. He taught school in Potlatch, Idaho and later in Pocatello, Idaho. Ralph postponed his teaching to attend Brigham Young University where he graduated with a Doctoral Degree in Music Education. He moved his family to Cardston Alberta Canada where he was head of the music in the Cardston School District. Ralph loved music, teaching band, and always had an amazing band program. He took the Pocatello High School Band to the Rose Parade in Pasadena, California in 1963. Ralph was involved in community theater, co-directing many musicals. He was president of the Alberta Chapter of the Canadian Band Directors Association and later served as the National President of that organization for a number of years. He was active in the Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs in Pocatello and Cardston. When Ralph retired from teaching, he and Theora served a Family History Mission in Salt Lake City. While serving, Ralph was called to be a counselor in the mission presidency. After their mission they bought a home in Bountiful near family. Ralph has been active in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints all his life. He held callings as Sunday School Superintendent, Counselor in the Bishopric in a BYU student ward, Counselor in the Bishopric in his home ward in Cardston, High Counselor, and a Temple worker for many years. Ralph and Theora have seven children. They supported six of the seven on missions for the LDS church. Ralph and Theora were always very proud of their posterity. They encouraged them to achieve and were involved in their lives. Ralph was preceded in death by his parents; two sisters: Winnifred Call and Marie Tayler; brother, Robert Kennard; son-in-law, Robert Allen Taylor; and several brothers and sisters-in-law. He is survived by his wife, Theora; children: Kathleen (Garry Charles) McDowell, Pamela Taylor, Robert Kim (Candace Cook) Kennard, Marlene (Ronald Mark) Harvey, Terrell Dean (Cindy Schaerrer) Kennard, Elisa (Ronald Lynn) Speth, Tracy Keith (Estela DeLaCruz) Kennard; siblings: Dorothy Hendriksen, Rose Hoffman, Jim Kennard, Aaron Kennard, Lee Kennard, Raeburn Kennard, Roger Kennard, Joseph Kennard, Royal Kennard; 36 grandchildren; 45 great grandchildren; and many other cousins, nieces, nephews. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, December 30, 2009, 10:00 a.m. at the Bountiful 43rd Ward Building, 990 North 100 West, Bountiful, Utah with a viewing at 9:00 a.m. There will also be a viewing on Tuesday, December 29, 2009, 6- 8:00 p.m. at McDougal Funeral Home, 4330 South Redwood Road, Taylorsville, Utah. Interment, Logan City Cemetery.”