Millard John Kendrick

Millard John Kendrick died peacefully at home on Tuesday, November 14, 2023.

Millard was born to Millard Paul and Genevieve Ann (Robitaille) Kendrick on November 9, 1946, in Virginia, Minn., attended Eveleth Schools and graduated in 1965. While there he was a member of the varsity swimming team where he competed at the state championships. His love of swimming was something he continued his entire life. After graduation, he attended the Eveleth Vocational Technical School to complete his optician certification studies and went to work for a short time in Milwaukee.

After returning home to Minnesota to work, on October 21, 1967, he married Leone Kendrick and started a family soon thereafter. After the birth of their first son Chris in 1969, the family moved to their home in Pike Sandy in 1972, the same year of the birth of their first daughter Julie. Millard’s talents led him to work in a variety of jobs which followed, most notably at the State Highway Department with a survey crew and the Italian Bakery in Virginia, all which ultimately led to what was a long and successful career in the mining industry. He worked for many of the local mines as a production truck operator, foreman and train operator at Inland Steel, LTV Steel, and eventually Minntac prior to his retirement.

He was a man of many talents and a jack of all trades. He filled his life with many hobbies, many of which he shared with his family and lifelong friends, but he also never stopped making new friends along the way. Some of Millard’s most cherished hobbies were his time spent snowmobiling and duck-hunting at the shack and his epic family trips to Lake of the Woods in the Northwest Angle with his beloved dogs, Chief and Red. Millard was an avid gun collector and enjoyed decades of trap and skeet shooting. His lifelong passion with muscle cars was only surpassed by his love of drag-racing in his favorite Chevy Malibu. When he wasn’t working or living to the fullest, he loved listening to music.

We don’t think you could find a person who knew him that didn’t like or admire him. He was a very hardworking man who tirelessly took care of his family exemplified most in the way he selflessly dedicated himself to the care of his beloved wife Leone until her final breath. He deeply loved his grandkids and was always there to share his advice with them well into adulthood.

Millard is survived by his son, Chris (Kelly) Kendrick, and his daughter, Julie (Mike Koskovich) Kendrick. He was a loving and proud grandfather of four grandchildren: Josh (Samantha) Kendrick, Gage (Hannah Davich) Koskovich, Jared Kendrick and Aubrey Koskovich. He is also survived by his sister-in-law, Anni (Mike) Knutson, sister-in-law Jane Saukko and former sister-in-law Shelley Saukko along with numerous nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews, all of whom he held close to his heart.

He was preceded in death by his wife Leone, his parents Millard Paul Kendrick and Genevieve Klancher, stepfather John Klancher, and his father and mother-in-law, Oiva and Irene Saukko, and brothers-in-law Larry and Richard Saukko.

A funeral mass will be said at 11 a.m. Wednesday, November 29th, 2023, in the Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Virginia with visitation beginning at 10 a.m.

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