Kendalle Cobb, MD Obituary April 29, 2026 – Brown-Forward Funeral Service

Kendalle Cobb, MD, age 55, of Shaker Heights, Ohio, passed away on April 29, 2026. She was the loving wife of Andrew Cleminshaw, the loving mother of Catherine Cleminshaw, the loving daughter of Emmett Cobb Jr. and Erma L. Cobb of San Francisco, and the loving sister of Cheryl Chambers (Michael) and Jan Cobb.

Kendalle was born and spent her childhood in San Francisco, California, happily ensconced on Grove Street just a few doors down from the famous Victorian homes known as the Painted Ladies. As she grew up, she studied and danced with the San Francisco Ballet while attending the French-American Bilingual School and Lowell High School. During this time, she also began her lifelong fandom of General Hospital, which provided her with a precocious introduction to the field of medicine. She left for the East Coast to attend Harvard University and George Washington University Medical School. She then returned to California for a family medicine residency and later a faculty position at the Kaiser Permanente Fontana Medical Center.

In 2004, she became a staff physician at the Cleveland Clinic. During her time there, she rose to assume numerous leadership roles, including membership on the Board of Governors and, most recently, Associate Chief of Staff. Throughout her time, she gave many keynote addresses and worked with numerous constituencies, all with the goal of making the Clinic a place where all community members, patients, and caregivers could thrive.

One of Kendalle’s core teachings was adapted from the author Leo Bascaglia: if a person is a plum, they should be the best plum they can be, not attempt to be a banana. A plum trying to be a banana will only be a second-rate banana. In other words, be true to yourself.

Kendalle practiced family medicine at the Clinic’s Solon Family Health Center, and her patients and colleagues celebrated the empathetic care she provided, the listening she offered, and the emphatic advocacy she delivered.

Kendalle was deeply invested in educating the next generation of doctors. She was a beloved Physician Advisor at the Cleveland Clinic Learner College of Medicine, where she also designed curricula and implemented initiatives, including the diversity dinner program. Among many awards for her work, she received the Outstanding Faculty Contribution Award from CCLCM in 2022. She served as chair of the Diversity Scholars Program steering committee at Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, supporting another cohort of future doctors. Her legacy will live on in the doctors whom she mentored and nurtured, holding high standards while helping them bring their full selves to the medical profession.

As part of her commitment to medical education and the training of physicians, Kendalle was selected to serve on and then chair various National Board of Medical Examiners committees, writing and reviewing questions for the USMLE Step 3 exam. She enjoyed meeting regularly with peers from across the country to determine which questions best assess physician readiness.

Kendalle was a treasured friend who curated a beloved “inner circle” whom she supported and who supported her throughout her life. Her Christian faith was a core part of her identity and guided her throughout her life. She was an active member of Plymouth Church of Shaker Heights, serving in many capacities, including president of the Church Council. She had a knack for pastoral relations, nurturing faith leaders up until the very end.

While being a strong, determined leader and role model, Kendalle took time to savor the lighter, human side of life, whether lingering over a meal in the college dining hall, going to concerts with friends, or taking road trips with her family. Kendalle supported the performing arts with a special affinity for musical theater. She often celebrated special occasions in Catherine’s life with a mother-daughter trip to a show, be it at a local venue or across the country. As Catherine took to the theater both on and backstage, Kendalle could always be found in the audience, attending every show, flowers at the ready, leading a standing ovation as the cast took their bows. Kendalle was a beloved wife and mother whose nurturing presence, positive, faithful outlook, and commitment to making the world a better place will be deeply missed.

The family prefers that those who wish may make contributions in her name to VelloSano/Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44195, or Plymouth Church of Shaker Heights, 2860 Coventry Rd., 44120, where Memorial Services will be held Saturday, May 23rd at 11 am.

Friends may call at Brown-Forward, 17022 Chagrin Blvd., Shaker Hts., OH 44120, Friday, May 22nd, from 5-7 pm.