Willard Kennon

Willard Lincoln Kennon, one of six children, was born in Carroll County, Tennessee, to Talmage and Mamie Pearl in 1919, right between Lincoln’s birthday and Valentine’s Day, in what he described as “a double-wide, two-story log cabin.” When Willard was four years old, Talmage, hearing from his brothers about good income available in the California oil fields, loaded his family on a train, and headed west to Yorba Linda. Talmage did find a good paying job, but after six years, decided farm life was better for his young family, so they returned to the 150 acre family farm along Reedy Creek. Willard wrote that his most enjoyable childhood memories were spending time on his Grandfather’s farm hunting, trapping rabbits, fishing, and helping with harvesting wagonloads of melons for market, and then in the fall, helping to pick cotton and to cut sorghum cane for the purpose of making sorghum molasses - a sweet favorite he loved. Close to his Tennessee home-place, was Liberty All Methodist Chapel. In this mountain chapel, at age 12, Willard publically professed his faith in Jesus and then was baptized in the river, down near Huntingdon. Also at Liberty All, he received what he described as an inward “call” to give his life, for full-time Christian ministry. The Talmage Kennon family would return eventually, to California where Willard graduated from Fullerton Union High School. He then, began work as a metal machinist while attending Pacific Bible College (what would later be Azusa Bible College) in his preparation for full-time ministry. It was during this time that a dapper young man, emboldened with a new, red “Chevy,” asked Mary Elizabeth Newkirk, the spunky younger sister of the pastor at Yorba Linda Friends Church, if she needed a ride home from youth group. Her,“Yes,” turned into a four year courtship and an exchange of marriage vows on June 13, 1942, with her brother, Sheldon Newkirk, officiating. Months after they were married; Mary became ill. It turned out to be more than just morning sickness. Doctors discovered what would be a lifelong serious heart condition. Thus began six decades and five years of Willard walking with Mary through lengthy and numerous hospitalizations, surgeries, and dire reports. A faulty heart though did not stop Willard and Mary. Over a span of 18 years, a total of five children were added to their family: Janice, Joel, Jennifer, JoAnna, and LaVonne. Her medical team in later years told the family that people with her condition, had a life expectancy in the mid forties. Mary lived nearly twice that long, passing in 2007, at age 86. Her children, grandchildren, and great-children were able to see the fruit of Willard’s love and faith and care. Willard demonstrated that faith, hope, and love works with weakness, and can change expected outcomes. The heart and soul of Willard Kennon was to pastor, whether it be his family who was a priority in all of his care or the next closest neighbor. Many were the visits to hospital rooms, jail rooms, and homes in crisis. Often he and Mary were the local 911. Willard’s first full-time pastorate was in San Diego in 1943. Later Willard pioneered the Azusa Friends church, holding Sunday School and worship beginning in a large tent before moving to a permanent new building. In the years that followed, Willard ministered in the communities of Homedale and Star, Idaho and then in Svensen and Klamath Falls, Oregon, and in later years served many senior adults in Seattle, Washington. Willard knew how to find common ground with nearly every kind of person. The pacifist pastor knew how to genuinely befriend the gritty, local gunsmith who was also a honky-tonk bar musician. That new friend not only found a regular place at the family table, but became the regular organist to accompany Sunday worship. Willard’s core perspective and ministry is reflected in one of his favorite quotes from George Fox (1647), “There is one, even Christ Jesus, that can speak to thy condition.” He believed this, with all of his heart, for every kind of person. Willard would do what was needed to supplement income for his family. He enjoyed working hard and being challenged by new opportunities. During the Svensen years, he was eager to take on hours as a longshoreman extra in Astoria, which often meant working the night shift – sometimes being assigned to walk on floating logs to help hook them to cranes so they could be loaded onto the ships - a task very different from sitting at his typewriter preparing for a sermon. Willard had a great love for wonders of the natural world and in his later years wrote much on his musings of what he called, “the novelties of nature.” He loved back-road trips and getting off trails to explore. He loved rock hounding, wood working, fishing, camping, and backpacking. In earlier years, he enjoyed working on inventions and had worked on patenting three of them. In 2005, Willard and Mary moved from Seattle to Friendsview Retirement Community in Newberg, Oregon where Willard enjoyed singing in the men’s choir and taking daily walks in the Hess Creek Canyon, collecting interesting finds. When Mary passed in 2007, Willard moved into the Memory Care Unit. Many things faded from Willard’s memory in the last years of his life, but what remained strong was a heart of gratitude, his love for his family, deep love for his Mary, and his great love for his Jesus. In his last months, the unseen things of faith, proved to become what was most visible and enduring. Once when asked by one of his grandsons the secret to his strong marriage and family, without hesitation, Willard attributed the secret and affirmed it three times to what he called the “family altar,” the daily habit of praying together and including the children when they were old enough, leading them to talk with God along with the daily reading from scripture. This was as regular as having a daily meal and to his thinking, equally important. Willard left us on Verse 4, with children walking with him to the edge of time and voices singing out, “When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation, and take me home, what joy shall fill my heart,” Willard, his last breath exhaled, crossed from here to THERE, unconfined, memory restored, for the homecoming of his life. A little more than 24 hours later, his last surviving sibling, Esther Ruth Seifert, also passed into glory. Family without doubt figure, Willard, along with angels calling her home said, “Come on Sis, the water in FINE.” On the day of his memorial, March 1st, Sparrow Love Kercher, who would have been his 22nd great-grandchild was born into this world. Surviving him are all of his children, their spouses, 12 grandchildren and their spouses, and many nephews, nieces, and cousins.