Kendra Judith Sartorelli

With enormous sadness we announce the passing of a kind and caring artist following a short battle with a very aggressive cancer. Kendra passed at Princess Margaret Hospital on January 11, 2025. Kendra was born in Belleville, the oldest daughter of Rick and Athele Williams. It was in Belleville she met Joel Sartorelli, the oldest son of the late John and Lissa Warr. Kendra and Joel married in 1999 and lived in Toronto throughout their marriage.

Kendra was a student at BCI, Albert College and Moira Secondary. She was active in artistic projects and music festivals. Upon secondary school graduation she began studies at the Ontario College of Art and Design, graduating with a B.F.A. She was also a tenor sax player in school musicals and became an aficionado of jazz music. She and her close friend Hilary Thomson also appeared in several Fringe Festivals.

Kendra was a prolific painter and exhibited in many galleries and shows. In the past 5 years she developed an arts and crafts store, Maker’s Market , in the Junction area of Toronto. It became a successful business and helped launch many other artists to success.

Kendra was a kind soul who was puzzled by the actions of others that were mean or hurtful. She found a soulmate in Joel and they had a marriage based on respect and appreciation for each other.

Kendra had one sister, Lindsay (Wade) , of Kamloops, B.C., and was Aunt Kendra to Leah Macklin, Emery and Gordie. Lindsay’s outgoing personality and high energy were the opposite of the more subdued Kendra but they came to love and appreciate each other as adults.

Many animals were part of her life over the year. Perhaps her happiest times were spentat Frog Heaven at Pam and Paul Belli;s cottage on Lake Weslemkoon. Most recently she found two rabbits, Carrots and Shakespeare, to be objects of her affection. Shakespeare was also a family focus as part of annual trips to the Stratford Festival.

Kendra is also survived by her uncle Robert Heard ( Leslie McGrath ) of Toronto and cousins John, James and William Heard as well as Aunt Judy Heard also of Toronto. She also had an Aunt Marilyn Chwast ( late Marshall} of Palmetto Bay, Florida.