Donors

Beatrice Clemens, Gordon & Associates, Anita Kendall, Samuel Kendall, Kevin

Minnihan, Missouri Falconers Association, Sarah Shinkle, John & Vicki Swift

Henry Cochran Kendall (1922-2007)

— by John R. Swift

Henry C. Kendall was born on June 8

, 1922 in

St. Louis, Missouri where he would spend his

entire life. Henry always had a love for birds and

animals. He was always exploring the wooded

areas around his home. He would eventually

raise over 50 species of birds taken from local

nests as young birds. This early skill would later

serve him well in rearing young Prairie Falcons

in 1967. Several other area youth shared the

same interests as Henry and together formed

a local falconry club when they were all in their

teens. The clubs members who attended John

Burroughs and Country Day School and were

all invited to hear falconer/author Capt. Charles

Knight, who brought his Golden eagle, Mr.

Ramshaw, speak on falconry. That served to spur

them on with their love of hawks and falconry.

Red-tailed hawks and Coopers Hawks were the

primary hawks utilized when they were hunting

rabbits and quail. Henry would also develop into

an avid falconry book collector, which began in

1940 with the William F. Russell’s Falconry and

John and Frank Craighead’s Hawks in the Hand.

Henry initially attended Bowden College for two

years but like so many students he was drawn

into WW II. He attended ight school and upon

graduation chose the Marine Air Corps. He ew

his Corsair during the invasion of Okinawa and

was the rst pilot to land there after the aireld

was secured. The war ended shortly thereafter

and Henry returned home and attended Harvard

on the GI bill. He had originally wanted to be-

come a doctor but wanted to get out and start his

life so he graduated with a degree in psychology.

While at home in St. Louis he attended a party at

some family friends, the Conants, where he met

their daughter Betty with whom he immediately

fell in love. They were married 6 months later.

Henry and Betty set out on their life together and

would have six children, which would cause them

to seek larger houses eventually purchasing the

large house in Ladue where so many falconry

gatherings would take place.

During Henry’s active falconry career he would

make several successful visits to the Queen

Charlottes to secure Peale’s falcons, capture

numerous Tundra falcons on the beaches in

Alabama and Padre Island, Texas. He explored

the Horton River in the Northwest Territories with

his son Jud in July 1967 to take Gyrfalcons and

Peregrines. He was always present at the early

NAFA meets in the 60’s and was as active as any

falconer of that period.

Henry had never given up on his desire to breed

large falcons in captivity. He obtained a tiercel

named Tim from falconer Frank Serra and a fal-

con named Taka from Ed Fitch. The pair was

compatible and soon laid eggs and one young

chick was hatched in 1967 but died shortly there

after. The next year would prove to be the suc-

cess Henry was hoping for and several chicks

were raised and Henry became the rst to ever

raise Prairie Falcons in captivity. His success

and captive breeding experiences, especially at

feeding whole six week old chicks, would help

many future falcon breeders also become suc-

cessful. It was one of the high points in Henry’s

falconry experiences but unfortunately would just

precede his greatest tragedy. On a spring vaca-

tion, without Henry, the family car struck a bridge

abutment and Henry’s wife Betty was killed. The

Kendall family would never be the same. Henry’s

falconry career declined the next several years,

the house was eventually sold and the breeding

falcons given back to the owners.

However, Henry never completely left falconry

and kept one or two birds when he was able to

construct a small mews. One of Henry’s more fa-

mous hawks was Whitey, an albinistic red-tailed

hawk, he obtained in the late 60’s. Originally

obtained from the St. Louis Zoo where she was

brought in as a rescued chicken. Henry became

the only falconer to ever y a white red-tailed

hawk in falconry. She lived for 36 years and is

now at the Archives of Falconry in Boise, Idaho.

Henry married again in the late 70’s and with his

wife Anita raised three more daughters. During

Henry’s later life he kept a Gyrfalcon and would

often go hawking with the falconers in the St.

Louis area always enjoying the hunting and fel-

lowship. Henry passed away at his home in

Chestereld, Missouri on December 5

, 2007.

His contributions to falconry were signicant and

he made many friends during his 85-year journey

that will remember him for many years.

(Author’s personal note): I met Henry and

Betty in 1968 when I moved to St. Louis after col-

lege and they were great hosts and friends while

I was learning falconry. I enjoyed several dinners

with the entire family. Betty’s death in April 1969

was devastating to everyone and many changes

were made. I spent that summer at Henry’s

house often staying for late visits and wine on the

large back porch. I was even with Henry during

the Apollo moon landing that summer. I met my

future wife Vicki in the fall of 1969 and we also

had some enjoyable evenings at the Kendall’s

house. Our lives would occasionally crisscross

over the next 30 years and we would pick up

with our lives again. He was a good friend to me

throughout the years and I always enjoyed the

times we were able to spend time together.

Henry Cochran Kendall

Kendall, Henry Cochran 85, died peacefully at

his home in Chestereld, MO on Wednesday,

December 5, 2007, surrounded by his loving

wife, Anita and children. He was preceded in

death by his rst wife, Elizabeth Conant Ken-

dall and daughter Faith. He is survived by

children Elizabeth, Judson, Harry, Mardi, Sam,

Jessica, Jennifer Jaimee; and grandchildren

Luke, Judson, Gwynnedd, Alexandra, Sara,

Benjamin. Because of his longstanding dedi-

cation to animals during his lifetime, the fam-

ily requests that, in lieu of owers, donations

be sent to: The Animal Protective Association

of Missouri, 1705 S. Hanley, St. Louis, MO

63144, or The Archives of Falconry, World

Center for Birds of Prey, 5668 W. Flying Hawk

Lane, Boise, ID 83709.

Services will be private. Condolences can be

shared at: www.stlouis cremation.com.

St. Louis Post Dispatch