Kendall Eugene Willson, 31, passed away on March 30, 2024.
He was born in Alpine on October 17, 1992. He spent his early years in Livingston, Montana, before moving to Terlingua in 2003, where he attended Terlingua Schools. As a young teen in Terlingua, he began his culinary career at the Starlight Theater. He spent time in Colorado and Houston before returning home to his beloved borderlands in 2023.
He is survived by his children, Liam Lopez, age 12, and Caellumn Willson, age 9; his parents, Martha Stafford and David Long; his father, James Willson; his brothers Hadden Elms and fiancé Christopher Brown, Trevor Smith and wife Spirit Maldonado, Chad Willson and wife Rae Lynn, Jeff Willson and wife Katja, Michael Willson and wife Jessica; Great Uncle Ed Jackson and wife Martha; his uncles John Patrick Ryan and wife Ricki, Michael Ryan and wife Bernadette Devine; aunts Kathleen Ryan and husband Kevin Clock and Allison Scott and husband Rudy; cousins Mark and James Scott, Eric and Cristine Ryan and Caelan Ryan and special family friends Monroe and Sara Elms and Primo and Anna Carrasco.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents Pat and Dorothy Ryan, his uncle Kevin Ryan and his dear friend Chance Cook.
Kendall will be missed by many, many more family and friends, whose lives he lit up with his comforting presence and wicked humor. He had a quick wit and a voracious appetite for learning, as well as an adventurous spirit nourished by time in the desert and on the river.
Above all he loved spending time with his boys, who share his passion for learning, cracking jokes, the Astros and 06 Cowboys, and general mischief.
Services were held yesterday in Marfa. The family will also host a celebration of Kendall’s life in Terlingua, date yet to be determined. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Marfa and Presidio County Museum –– a nod to Kendall’s love for working at the museum and his passion for history.