Obituary of Vivian Kendall

Vivian Kendall, aka Osprey Therian, left her physical body on December 9, 2013, at her home on Summit Lake, due to complications of a progressive neurologic disorder and breast cancer. She was born on September 12, 1953, in Southampton, England, to Roy and Joan Kendall. Owing to her father’s work in the aerospace industry, she immigrated with her family to Ontario, Canada, in 1957, and then to the Philadelphia area in 1962, where she completed high school. She attended the University of Delaware, earning a BA with high honors in 1979, before moving with her parents and younger sister to Rochester, Washington. From an early age, Vivian displayed a talent in the visual arts, and she devoted her life to them. After working as a cook and waitress at Buck’s Fifth Avenue, she went on to create the gifted and talented artist program at the Wa He Lut School, where she taught from 1990 to 2006. She also led animation workshops for children in the community and taught at Centrum in Port Townsend. Throughout the 80s and 90s, Vivian had many shows in galleries, colleges and museums throughout the Northwest. Her paintings are held in the collections at Safeco, Microsoft, and the University of Washington Medical Center. Local residents will have seen her work because she restored the historic murals in Centralia. As Osprey Therian, she continued making art in the new millennium. A devoted participant in the virtual world Second Life, she created the virtual presence for clients like the charity United Spinal and for GMC/Pontiac. She also designed many outfits, structures and graphics in Second Life, and created events such as a vaudeville performance with participation by an international cast. In addition, she was the co-creator of the virtual and real world trading card game “Combat Cards.” Survivors include siblings, Stephen Kendall (Eileen) of Melbourne, Australia, Deborah Harrison (Richard) of Glenmoore, Pennsylvania, and Elizabeth Kendall of Olympia, as well as many relations around the world. Please leave memories of Vivian or condolences for her family in the Guestbook below.