Meet the Character!
- deborahheiner
- Apr 6
- 2 min read
Meet Kendra Burgess from The Trials of Being a Navy Wife and Kendra’s Journey: Life After Loss
Name: Kendra BurgessAge: Early 20s
Height: 5'6"
Physical Traits: Chestnut brown hair, brown eyes, often seen in simple clothing due to financial limitations. Her daughter Rachelle is her mini-me in both looks and mannerisms.
Background: Kendra is a young Navy widow living in St. Augustine, Florida. Originally from the same area, she met her late husband, Lee Burgess, at a club in nearby Mayport just after graduating high school. Their relationship escalated quickly, resulting in a pregnancy and a hasty marriage that her parents reluctantly supported. Lee, a Second-Class Petty Officer, controlled the household finances and kept Kendra on a tight allowance, often leaving her feeling undervalued and isolated.
Current Situation: Now widowed with a toddler, Kendra is rebuilding her life. After Lee’s suspicious and tragic death in a car accident (which revealed he had already returned from deployment without telling her), Kendra discovered his infidelity and emotional abuse. She endured harassment from Lee’s parents and his mistress, including a legal battle over custody of her daughter. Using part of Lee’s life insurance, she moved back home, began training for a career in cosmetology, and works at her best friend’s salon.
Personality Traits:
Resilient: Life has thrown her into situations that would break many, but Kendra continually finds the strength to adapt and fight back.
Practical: Her tight budget and past experience with financial control have made her resourceful and careful with money.
Blunt but compassionate: She doesn't sugarcoat the truth, especially when it comes to Lee, but her love for Rachelle is unwavering.
Protective: Every decision Kendra makes centers around her daughter’s well-being, safety, and happiness.
Guarded but hopeful: While she’s understandably wary of relationships—especially with Navy men—there’s a flicker of hope in her that believes in the possibility of something better.
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