Nathaniel Kenderdine

Nathaniel Kenderdine passed away in North Carolina on Friday, November 24, 2023. Waiting for him in heaven is his baby girl, Kayleigh Anna; his grandparents, Robert Ortega Sr. and Eve Weiss; as well as several other family members and loved ones. He leaves behind many incredible memories with his children, Kyle Andrew, Serenity Rose, Annaleigh Victoria, and Reaghan Elizabeth; his love of 19 years and wife of 17 years, Shannon; his parents, Paul and Brenda, his siblings Adam, Joshua and Anna; and countless family members and close friends. 

Nathan was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico on June 5, 1987 and was the cherished child of Paul and Brenda Kenderdine. While growing up, Nathan’s wit, intellect, and kindness were easily noticed by all. He loved making people laugh, even as a child, and would stop at nothing to get a smile out of someone. Nathan always found a way to lighten the room with his jokes, antics, and general silliness. This persisted into his adulthood and Nathan’s wit continued to outshine others around him. Nathan was also always a deep thinker and was fascinated with science and science fiction throughout his life. Whether he was stargazing in his grandfather’s telescope, reading the Star Wars books and comics, or watching the Discovery Channel, Nathan had an insatiable quest for knowledge and a lively sense of curiosity for the universe that remained with him throughout his life. Nathan also demonstrated kindness and compassion for all. He treated those around him with generosity and had a strong orientation to service and equity in this world. He could always be counted on to stand up for what was right and just for those around him.

Nathan’s quest for knowledge carried him into several different degrees throughout his life. While a young father and husband, Nathan joined the Navy and completed his basic training in Chicago. Nathan proudly served in South Carolina, San Diego, Washington, and New York for nine years where he managed naval craft carriers’ nuclear energy. After completing his duty in the military, Nathan continued to advance his learning and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Nuclear Technology from Excelsior University and a Master’s degree in Nuclear Management from Penn State University. Nathan remained committed to being a lifelong learner and frequently continued to research and engage in scientific discussions with his son, Kyle.  

Nathan’s sense of humor brought much light into the lives of those around him. As a young child, he would make up silly dances for family members to make them laugh, create new plot twists in Ninja Turtle scenes that were hilarious, and rattle off jokes at any given moment. His wit continued to grow into adulthood, with him recreating funny poses from online posts, catching people in faulty logic, or making jokes to make his wife laugh. 

Nathan cherished his role as a father and spent endless hours playing with his children. Whether he was quizzing his daughters on math facts at the dinner table, discussing the origin of the earth with his son, building intricate lego sets with all of them, or goofing around with them in the pool or on the couch, Nathan loved showering his babies with love and undivided attention. He loved his children deeply; his children loved him and that love will last an eternity. Nathan also deeply loved and found a sense of belonging with his lifelong wife and partner, Shannon. Nathan and Shannon were in love for almost their entire lives. They met young and spent also two decades together; in love for nineteen years and wed for seventeen of those years. Nathan never missed a beat when it came to Shannon. He loved and cared for her deeply and showed it both in outward gestures such as waking up and buying her daily cup of coffee which later became making her daily cup of coffee and in silly quirky ways that was a language only the two of them understood. They bonded over Star Wars, their love for dogs, their endless discussions of the universe and its secrets and of course their children.

Nathan will forever be remembered for his generosity of spirit towards others, his unparalleled intellect and curiosity, and his boundless sense of humor. These characteristics have been passed on to his children and will continue to live on through them. 

We are so grateful for the years Nathan was in our lives and will always cherish the joyful memories we shared with him.

The viewing will be held on Friday, December 1st from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm at Daniels Family Funerals, 4310 Sara Road, Rio Rancho, New Mexico 87124. The service will be held on Saturday, December 2nd at 10:00 am at Heights Christian Church, 6935 Comanche Rd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110. His final resting will be a burial with honors on Saturday, December 2nd at 11:30am at Vista Verde Memorial Park, 4310 Sara Road, Rio Rancho, New Mexico 87124. 

The family respectfully requests that, in lieu of flowers, a donation be made to support Shannon and the children.