New bike rack memorializes shooting victim

KELLOGG — Tears were shed, laughs were shared and the staff at Mountain Valley of Cascadia celebrated their friend, Kenna Guardipee, with the dedication of a new bike rack on Monday at the skilled nursing facility.
  

Guardipee, who died last June, would have been 42 on Monday and was an avid mountain bike enthusiast. In fact, it was the one thing that brought Guardipee and her family together.

Cascadia Activities Director John Davis was friends with Guardipee's father, Kenneth, and had daughters the same age as Guardipee who grew up together.

Davis spoke during the dedication ceremony, highlighting the relationship between his family and the Guardipees and how much he missed his friends. Davis is also a huge fan of mountain biking — which was something he regularly did with Kenna Guardipee and her family.
 

“I rode with her dad for years,” Davis said. “We all rode together every Sunday. It was the thing that she and her family all did together and they all loved it. I loved riding with them. I lost my whole riding crew that day."

Kenna Guardipee and her father Kenneth, along with her two sons Devin and Aiken were shot and killed on Father's Day at their Brown Street home, which sits less than 100 feet from the Mountain Valley campus in Kellogg. 

Majorjon Kaylor has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder.

Guardipee worked in the kitchen at Mountain Valley, where she was beloved by her co-workers and the residents that she served on a daily basis.

“The residents loved Kenna,” Davis said. “She loved the dress-up days. I think she owned more tutus than anyone I’ve known.”

The stories about Guardipee making special treats for the residents, whom she treated like family were told by many of the people at the ceremony.

The idea of a bike rack was one that Davis had been pushing for a while at the facility, but when it was discussed as a means to memorialize Guardipee, it just felt right.

“We were throwing ideas around, but once it was presented we ran with it,” Davis said. “What an appropriate thing for Kenna. Mike’s Specialty Welding did a great job on this for us.”

Mountain Valley CEO Emille Kulin spoke highly of Guardipee — not as just an employee, but also as a person.

“It’s hard to state just how big of an impact Kenna had on people,” Kulin said. “We miss her and her caring presence here greatly. We’re happy to have the opportunity to celebrate the profound impact that she had on her fellow co-workers and our residents.”