Audrey Kuykendall

Audrey Kathleen Nes Kuykendall, 68 of Taos, New Mexico, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family, on March 30. Born In Tripoli, Libya, she was the daughter of David G. Nes and Elizabeth Houghton Nes. She is survived by her beloved husband of 41 years Ben Kuykendall and their two dogs, Skyler and Brenna. She is also survived by her four sisters, Victoria Kirby, Nancy Knowlton, Margaret Nes, Wendy Del Terzo and her two nephews Nicholas Knowlton and David Del Terzo.

As the daughter of a career Foreign Service Officer, Audrey spent her childhood with her family living around the world—in Libya, Morocco, England, Vietnam, and Egypt. She graduated from Garrson Forest High School In Maryland. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree from Union College in New York. She also attended the University of Massachusetts, pursuing a Master of Science Degree in Botany, before returning to Taos. Ben was amazed when the most beautiful blue eyed brunet in northern New Mexico chose him, but she did, and they were married in 1982. They shared many adventures and pursuits in their years together. They enjoyed sailing off the coast of Maine to rowing a raft down the Grand Canyon as well as their careers in resource management.

Audrey worked for the Bureau of Land Management in the summers and was soon managing the Wild and Scenic Rivers Recreation Area, Orilla Verde and Santa Cruz Lake Recreation Areas.  In the winters Audrey worked for, but soon became manager of the Pro Shop at Taos Ski Valley. In 1990 she was hired by the Carson National Forest and began a 28 year career as an Environmental Planner. Audrey was totally committed to “Caring for the Land and Serving the People”. Her dedication to excellence in environmental planning focused around community involvement in planning decisions. She was instrumental in a team of employees that were recognized nationally for innovations in American government. She was selected to receive the “Hammer Award” on behalf of her team which was presented in a White House ceremony by then Vice President Al Gore. Her work in public involvement has changed the face of environmental planning nationally as she became an instructor that taught the process to Forest Service employees across the Nation.

Audrey, along with her sister Nancy (an architect), designed her “Dream Home” and when Ben retired, they built a most extraordinary home and gardens on the edge of the forest. It is a beautiful setting with the purpose of bringing friends and family together. Audrey was a devoted wife, sister, aunt and friend.

Having cancer does not mean you can’t accomplish things. Audrey has fought this disease since she was in her 30’s. Not only was she beautiful and smart, she was tough. How many women can have a total hip replacement and climb Wheeler Peak a year later? She loved the outdoors and her mountains.

After being diagnosed with Metastatic Breast Cancer in 2018, Audrey dedicated herself to living life as fully as possible—devotedly swimming every day, tending her magnificent garden and recently creating a computerized comprehensive archive of her sister’s (Margaret) huge creation of art work. Audrey was a master of the NYT crosswords and loved zipping through those 1000 piece jig saw puzzles. She  had compassion, faith, humor and and an amazing positive attitude that was inspiration and joy to all that knew her. As our close neighbor said, “Don’t worry about Audrey—after her last breath on earth, her next breath was in heaven!

Arrangements by Rivera Family Funeral Home. To share a memory, please visit our website at www.riverafuneralhome.com