Just Stay Down

Paul Newman as Luke lies beaten but unbroken in the dirt, with prison guards watching from above in a scene from Cool Hand Luke.

“Though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again…” – Proverbs 24:16 In 2009, Boerne High School reopened its doors, and with it, the heartbeat of a small-town tradition came back to life. We had closed the school for a calendar year while it was remodeled. And with that return came the need for a … Read more

Brewing Bold Faith in Boerne: The Casey Barker Story

Casey Barker in a cowboy hat, seated at a table with an open Bible and candle, hands clasped in quiet reflection.

In the heart of Kendall County, Texas, where the Hill Country’s rugged beauty meets the warmth of community, a simple coffee shop stands as a testament to faith’s transformative power. Barker and Wortman Coffee is more than a place for a morning brew; it’s a sanctuary where an eight-foot cross looms on the wall, a … Read more

Customs & Manners

Black-and-white photo of a vintage Police Department cruiser parked outside 114 E Texas, with classic signage and building facade.

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

BetterMENt: Stepping Up To Better MENtal Health

Lance Lira, featured contributor to The Kendall Gentleman, in a professional headshot.

Growing up as a Gen X Texas boy, it was never considered to be ‘manly’ to show emotions (unless those emotions happened to be something to do with courage, perhaps). Sadly, this is a recurring theme with many fellow men I have visited with. Dealing with emotions is something that every human must contend with, … Read more

We Do What We Want

Portrait of Coach Stan Leech in a black suit and striped tie, smiling confidently against a black backdrop.

I once heard a simple line that stopped me cold. As the saying goes, “We do what we want to do, and we don’t do what we don’t want to do.” At first, it made me laugh—it sounded like something someone might say to justify skipping a meeting or leaving a party early, but the … Read more

Jacob Luchenbach: German Immigrant, Texas Pioneer, and Patriarch

Tom Allred, a respected Kendall County leader and contributor to The Kendall Gentleman, photographed in classic Western attire.

The story of Jacob and Justina Luchenbach is one of perseverance, hope, and quiet influence The mid-19th century witnessed a remarkable tide of German immigration to Texas, a movement that profoundly shaped the cultural and economic landscape of the Lone Star State. Among these intrepid pioneers stands Jacob Luchenbach, whose journey from the Duchy of … Read more

Harvesting Legacy: Andy Ivankovich’s Mission of Service and Strength

“Andy Ivankovich at Singing Water Vineyards in Comfort, Texas, with a bottle of Freedom red wine and a glass on the tasting room bar.”

When Andy Ivankovich first drove down Mill Dam Road in Comfort, Texas, he wasn’t looking for a vineyard. Truth is, he’d never even tasted Texas wine. What he sought was just a quiet slice of the Hill Country, somewhere to clear brush on weekends with his kids and let his mind rest from years of … Read more

Ride for the Brand: Cody Davenport’s Mission of Legacy and Loyalty

Cody Davenport leans casually on a fence, smiling with a cowboy hat in hand and dressed in denim.

Cody Davenport isn’t the kind of CEO who spends his days behind a desk, distant from the work that drives the heart of his organization. Instead, the leader of the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo is a hands-on, boots-in-the-dirt Texan who can often be found alongside volunteers, loading livestock, or training with his staff … Read more

Broken Windows, Dead Roses, and Brown Patches

Portrait of Coach Stan Leech in a black suit and striped tie, smiling confidently against a black backdrop.

I remember it well. We were in the Williamsons’ backyard, playing our usual brand of neighborhood baseball, a mix of hustle, imagination, and questionable judgment. I got hold of a great pitch and sent it soaring…straight through the neighbor’s kitchen window. We all scattered like we were running from the law. A few yards later, … Read more

THE PLAZA

An elderly John Eddie Vogt in a red plaid shirt standing outdoors with a gentle smile, embodying wisdom and nostalgia.

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