Across decades and battlefields, veterans have shaped the character of our nation and our communities. From the young men storming Normandy’s beaches to those navigating modern conflicts across the globe, their courage, sacrifice, and leadership inspire us all. In Kendall County and beyond, these men and women have answered the call, whether on foreign soil … Read more
Every November, we set aside a day to honor the men and women who have worn our nation’s uniform. But for most of us, gratitude should not be something we circle on a calendar. It should be part of how we live. Both of my grandfathers were veterans, and three of my four grandparents worked … Read more
Published in 2011, the late John Eddie Vogt’s book, Witches, Bitches, and Other Small Town Folks, brings to life the quirky, unforgettable, and entertaining tales of growing up and living in Kendall County from the 1930s through the 1960s. Thanks to the gracious permission of his family, The Kendall Gentleman is honored to share excerpts … Read more
In the quiet corners of Boerne, Texas, where limestone buildings line Main Street and the Hill Country breeze carries echoes of history, one name endures as a symbol of sacrifice and patriotism: Private Bruno Phillip. Though his life was cut short on the battlefields of France during World War I, his legacy lives on in … Read more
October settles over Kendall County like a quilt. The mornings begin to carry that crisp air we’ve been waiting for, the trees start to hint at turning, and you can smell fires drifting from backyards and campsites. Football fills the evenings, deer blinds are cleaned and stocked, and the calendar fills with fall festivals, church … Read more
Ken Nietenhoefer likes to say he’s lived six different lives. He even wrote them down once, in a manuscript he calls My 6 Lives. But listening to him tell it, those chapters don’t sit neatly side by side. They stack on each other, like wood grain running through a beam, all adding up to the … Read more
The most important people in my life are not on billboards or TV. The most important and influential people in my life are not famous. They are not world leaders or politicians. The most important and influential people in my life, I run into and meet every day. They are the ones who are walking … Read more
Most men I know aren’t looking for applause. They’ve got families to care for, work to do, and burdens they rarely speak aloud. That’s the part we often miss. Not because we’re too proud to ask for help, but because somewhere along the way, we started believing we were supposed to carry it all alone. … Read more
Memories are instant flashes where all our senses converge, transporting us back to another moment in our past. The smell of an ingredient while cooking. The color of a stranger’s hair. The perfect summer coastal breeze in the evening. A song is playing overhead while shopping at HEB. Each of these brief things invokes an … Read more
Kevin Klaerner’s roots in law enforcement run deep. His great-great-uncle John Klaerner, great-grandfather Alfred Klaerner, and grandfather Hugo Klaerner each served as Sheriffs of Gillespie County. “Continuing that family tradition is something I take great pride in,” he said. “It drives me every day to uphold the values they lived by.” Now a Kendall County … Read more