Stuart Roben Kensinger and Angela Webb Kensinger
2019
Angela Webb Kensinger, age 54, and Stuart Roben Kensinger, age 55, of Houston, Texas, were tragically taken away too early in a plane crash outside Kerrville, Texas the morning of Monday, the 22nd April 2019. They were on their way to their beloved hill country home along with dear friends and colleagues Jeffrey Carl Weiss, Scott Reagan Miller, Marc Tellepsen, and Mark Damien Scioneax, who were also killed in the accident. They are survived by their son Philip, 21, Angela's sisters Electra Webb Tortorella and husband Al and children Will and Katherine, and Eliza Webb Eppli and husband Mark and children Maddy and Zoe, Stuart's sister Holly Kensinger Jarrett and husband Jay and children Jordan, Carter, Abigail, and Arleigh, Stuart's mother Ollie Miller Kensinger, and their much loved yellow lab Chula. They are preceded in death by Angela's parents William and Carol Webb, and Stuart's father Phil Kensinger. Their love for one another and for their family and friends was truly unlike anything else, and their loving souls and zest for life will live on through everyone who they knew.
Stuart was born on the 10th of August 1963, in Houston, Texas. He attended St. John's School from first grade to graduation, spent a post grad year at Phillips Academy, and then attended Yale University where he met Angie. After getting his MBA at the University of Texas, he worked for Wells Fargo in San Francisco before returning to Houston to join his father in the commercial real estate investment and development business. The two created a team, and as his father's health began to fail him, he accepted the passing of the torch and continued to grow the family business along with business partner, mentee, and very close friend Frank Donnelly III, who took Kensinger Donnelly and made it flourish with a mission of service to the community. In Stuart's own words about his work, "I have a distinct role as a steward for my family, my partners, my co-workers, and my community. Recognizing this role and developing it into our company mission has rejuvenated me and given me a much stronger sense of purpose and engagement in our work which is both exciting and meaningful."
Stuart was passionate about many charities and organizations. He served on the board and as Finance Committee Chair of the Berkeley Divinity School, the Episcopal Seminary at Yale Divinity School. He also served on the boards of Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone 1 for the City of Houston, Camp Allen (part of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas), and The H. Boone and Violet M. Porter Charitable Foundation. Stuart served for over a decade on the board of Project Row Houses and in multiple capacities including Vestry and Senior Warden at Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church.
In 2011, Stuart and lifelong best friend Nicholas Porter combined their lifelong passion of peacemaking and interfaith work to create Jerusalem Peacebuilders, an organization dedicated to fostering relationships between Israeli and Palestinian Christians, Muslims, and Jews from a young age. The organization grew from conducting summer camps to having full time staff in both the States and Jerusalem committed to creating school programs, adult pilgrimages and education programs, and more recently beginning an ambitious project to facilitate the building of a radiation therapy center in Gaza City. Stuart's passion for this work was infectious. He had an incredible ability to teach and engage with both young and old, from all points of view. He wanted to hear everyone's story and serve them, as evidenced on one personal occasion when a Palestinian Uber driver offhandedly remarked that all he wished for was a bit of soil from the homeland he would never get to visit. So naturally, on the next of many pilgrimages, Stuart collected bits of earth from various points in Palestine, got it all back to the States hidden in the sole of his boot, and gave a full jar to the tearful, awestruck driver.
Stuart was so many things to so many people. He was always the number one fan of Angie's lacrosse team, never missing a game and earning the nickname "Mr. Coach K." He was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed countless adventures with close friends hunting, fishing, and hiking. He was an amazing friend, who could always be counted on for support and a laugh. He was an incredible father. He and his son Philip, avid soccer fans, spent every one of Philip's college spring breaks in Europe attending games and having amazing father-son time. He sought to instill in Philip the same compassion, selflessness, and dedication that he had. The undying love he always gave to Philip and everyone else close to him will live on eternally.
Angie was born on the 18th of October 1964, in Greenwich, Connecticut, and was raised in New Canaan. She attended the New Canaan Country School, graduated from The Hotchkiss School, and attended Yale University, where she met Stuart while rowing on the crew team. After college, she worked in New York for Harper's Bazaar magazine, before moving to Austin and then San Francisco with Stuart. While in San Francisco, Angie worked for a catering company where she developed a natural love for the art of being a hostess. This became a theme for Angie's life. Her love of cooking, making floral arrangements, and being a genuinely thoughtful and kind person made any get together Angie had a hand in always special.
Upon moving to Houston with Stuart, St. John's School was in search of a girls' lacrosse coach. Having played at Hotchkiss and for a year at Yale, Angie naturally volunteered to help. 22 years later, she took the fledgling program and ran with it, creating a winning program and incredible community like no other. While her 12 state championships and 11 SPC championships were incredibly impressive, what she cared about most was creating incredible young women out of each girl who played for her. Angie was a fairy sports godmother to countless girls who came through her program. On any given day, you could bet there would be multiple girls at Coach K's house before practice getting help with college applications and anything else they possibly needed. Angie's program was profoundly more than a lacrosse team: it was a loving community of players and parents past and present who always supported one another and participated in a unique culture that only a person as special and caring as Angie could cultivate.
While Angie was a special second mother to countless girls, she was the most incredible mother her son Philip could ever have. She was always there for him, bringing him lunches to school, participating in every activity she could with him while he grew up, and showing Philip the right way to be a person. Philip never set an alarm at home. Every morning Angie would wake up before him to prepare breakfast and come into his room to wake him up usually with a song and a smile. Angie supported and contributed to everything Stuart involved himself in behind the scenes, making everything work just right like only she could. Angie has a zest for life like no other person, and the traditions she created and lives she touched will keep her spirit alive forever.
Angie and Stuart's relationship was something truly special. After meeting at lunch one day at Yale, they became each other's best friends and unconditional lovers. Their admiration for one another showed in everything they did: they were pillars of their community, amazing friends, there for everyone whether it be at a dinner with the Archbishop of Canterbury or delivering cookie boxes to the homeless at Christmas. They brought out the best in each other, protective and supportive of one another, involved in everything the other did. Stuart's passion and adventurous spirit and Angie's cool-headed wisdom complemented each other perfectly, and they both instilled their genuine and undying love in their son Philip, who together created a family unit that was incredibly close.
They leave behind a world that will never be quite whole again without them, but will never be without the spirit of their unceasing joy, love, and enthusiasm for life.
A memorial service is to be conducted at eleven o'clock in the morning on Wednesday, the 1st of May, at Palmer Memorial Episcopal Church, 6221 Main Street in Houston. Immediately following, all are invited to greet the family during a reception to follow in the great hall at St. John's School, 2401 Claremont Lane in Houston.
Kindly note that due to limited parking, valet parking has been provided and will be located on the Main Street entrance of the church.
Prior to the memorial service, the family will have gathered for a private interment at Glenwood Cemetery in Houston.
In lieu of customary remembrances, the family would be honored if memorial contributions were directed toward the Angela and Stuart Kensinger Scholarship Fund for Girls, going toward summer leadership and peacebuilding programs with Jerusalem Peace Builders. JPB has established this new fund to educate and empower young women who will be the leaders and change makers of the future. To mail a donation please send to Jerusalem Peace Builders, C/O Kensinger Donnelly, 3300 Chimney Rock, Ste. 301, Houston, TX 77056; or, donate to the in the names and honor of Stuart and Angie Kensinger.
Please visit Mr. & Mrs. Kensinger's online memorial tribute at geohlewis.com where words of comfort and condolence may be shared electronically with their family.