Florence Kendall
Good Morning Fellow PTs:
It is with great sadness that I am writing to inform you of Florence Kendall's passing. What an amazing lady and she was such a great ambassador for physical therapy around the world.
As a military therapist I have always been really proud of the success of one of our own (member of the Walter Reed Class of 1932).
Below is the posting from APTA's website.
Deydre
Florence Peterson Kendall, PT, FAPTA
Florence P Kendall, PT, FAPTA, 95, died on Saturday night, January 28. She dedicated more than 70 years of her life to physical therapy, continuing to be one of this country's foremost physical therapists well into her 90s. As recently as last year, she received the 2005 Charles M Magistro Distinguished Service Award from the Foundation for Physical Therapy for her outstanding service and personal commitment to promoting the goals of the Foundation.
She played a major role in drafting the original bill that was enacted into law in 1947 legally establishing the practice of physical therapy in Maryland. She was the secretary to the Maryland State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners from 1969-70, a member of that Board from 1971-74, and served as a consultant to the Board from 1974-97.
Kendall and her husband, Henry, spent many years treating patients with polio at Children's Hospital as well as in their private physical therapy practice.
She taught physical therapy at the University of Maryland's School of Medicine, Physical Therapy Department. She was also an instructor in biomechanics at the School of Nursing at Johns Hopkins Hospital. A nationally acclaimed lecturer and author of numerous books and journal articles about physical therapy, Florence Kendall's work has set the standard for musculoskeletal evaluation and treatment.
Her book, Muscle Testing and Function, originally published in 1949, published its fifth edition last year. Recognized as the "gold standard" for musculoskeletal assessment, this work has been translated into eight foreign languages.
Kendall is a founding member of the American Physical Therapy Association of Maryland and was its president 1939-41 and 1957-59. She served on the Maryland State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners and also was a consultant to the Surgeon General of the United States Army.
Kendall's work as a clinician, researcher, and lecturers earned her many awards and honorary degrees. In 1976, the Maryland Chapter established the Henry O Kendall and Florence P Kendall Practice Award for outstanding achievement in clinical practice; in 1980 it became a national honor from the Foundation for Physical Therapy. In April 2000, the Kendall Historical Collection of books at the University of Maryland Health and Human Services Library was dedicated. The Henry O and Florence P Kendall Conference Room was dedicated at the University of Maryland's School of Physical Therapy in December 2000. She was named to the Maryland Women's Hall of Fame in 2002.
A McMillan Lecturer, Catherine Worthingham Fellow, and recipient of the Lucy Blair Service award, among many other honors, Kendall was a role model for all physical therapists, but especially to women. She clearly demonstrated that a woman can be a good wife and mother, and at the same time be a leader in her chosen profession.
For more details on the life and contributions of Florence Kendall, read the May 2000 PT Magazine feature story (.pdf) that celebrated her 90th birthday.
