It might be a long way from playing with Bruno Bettelheim’s
children in Chicago to sitting on the Morgan Hill Architectural
Review Board but Yarka Kennett made the trip.
It might be a long way from playing with Bruno Bettelheim’s children in Chicago to sitting on the Morgan Hill Architectural Review Board but Yarka Kennett made the trip.
One half of a powerhouse couple, Kennett joined her husband, Alex, only a few years ago in filling her spare time volunteering. Before that she was bringing up a batch of great kids, following her artistic muse and building a career as a residential designer – with a sideline into belly dancing.
One term on the city Planning Commission ended when Yarka found she was more comfortable with the ARB.
“The Planning Commission was a kind of civic duty,” Yarka said. “But the council wanted women for the ARB so I signed up.”
Born in London (she spent her early years in Woking, Surrey), Yarka, whose actual name is Yarmilla, came to the United States at age 5 with her Czechoslovakian-born parents. They were both doctors who would teach at the University of Chicago.
“I went to a private school for the children of university employees,” Yarka recalled.
Some of her early classmates were a bit out of the ordinary.
Naomi Bettelheim, daughter of the renowned child psychologist and Holocaust survivor, Bruno Bettelheim, was her friend.
“We were also friends with Dail Neugarten, Gail Sheehy’s daughter,” she said. “We still keep in touch.”
One would think Yarka might follow her parents into medicine, but no.
“I faint at the sight of blood,” she said.
Instead, Yarka majored in art, getting an MFA (master of fine arts) at the University of Texas, then turned her talents plus an interest in architecture into a career of architectural rendering.
She emphasizes that her work at the Stotler Design Group is as a residential designer, not as an architect. She’s worked for the firm for 20 years.
Alex, on the other hand, jumped into the volunteer life almost as soon as he landed in town more than 20 years ago.
Retired from the military, Alex called on his experience working with food distributors in San Fra-
ncisco, beginning at age 10, to form GavilanKennettRoepke, the same kind of business, though based in Morgan Hill.
“We lived next to a food warehouse and I worked for them,” Alex said.
His father and uncle, who were born in Germany, added some experience.
“Dad grew up in the cigar business,” he said. “And I’ve worked in every aspect of food manufacturing except growing it.”
Selling the successful business in 2003 to his partner freed even more time to chair committees and urge environmental sanity on city and county agencies.
Alex spent 10 years heading up Independence Day, Inc., several more as board member or president of the Chamber of Commerce, working with the Economic Development Committee trying to lure new business to town and cultivating the ones that are already in place.
He even spent most of 2004 acting as interim director while the board searched for Dan Ehrler, the new director and was named Chamber Volunteer of the Year for 2004.
Having made a reputation as a thoughtful, business-friendly guy, Alex was invited to join Joint Venture Silicon Valley in 2004.
The second half of Alex’s volunteer life revolves around the environment. Electricity at the Kennett house comes from solar and wind power, so fruitful that they often are able to sell electricity back to PG&E.
He is the District 1 (south Santa Clara County including Coyote Valley) elected representative – and now chair – of the Open Space Authority, a position that gives him entry to help with Gilroy’s agricultural replacement plan, Morgan Hill’s effort to have a say in how Coyote Valley is developed and with the Urban Limit Line Committee.
Politically he is an unreformed Democrat, head of the South County Democratic Club and on county and state Democratic committees.
Some of the couple’s pastimes converge; others don’t. Alex enjoys Yarka’s belly dancing – she takes classes now at the Community Center – but doesn’t feel the need to try it himself.
“I started it many years ago and even taught at one time,” Yarka said. “My first husband didn’t want me to exhibit myself.”
Alex broke into the conversation with his point of view:
“But her second husband does,” he said.
Both enjoy their four Jaguars, some vintage, others more current. Each vehicle has a name. Yarka commutes to Stotler in Lucille, definitely a vintage truck with more than 200,000 miles on the odometer.
Alex’s favorite is Elizabeth, a Mark II that tends to be a bit touchy
.
“We drive her as long as she’s running and the weather is not too hot or too cold or raining,” Alex said.
He is president of the Jaguar Associates Group; Yarka just enjoys the trips.
Time to tour exotic places – Brazil and Morocco – is snatched from two busy schedules.
“We like to go where other Americans don’t go,” Alex said.
A small cabin near Yosemite keep them occupied on free weekends.
Alex and Yarka met – this is a second marriage for both – when a single’s group met at his house years ago.
“We each were dating somebody else,” Alex said, “but we gave that up and got together.”
Valentine’s Day was the 18th anniversary of the day he proposed; they’ve been married 17 years.
There are four children between them but sorting out who belongs to whom is difficult. The Kennetts say they each have four children. “There is no difference,” Yarka said.
The joys of five grandchildren – ages 6 months to 19 years – are shared even more; three live in Los Gatos, one in Los Angeles and one in El Dorado Hills east of Sacramento.
The oldest grandchild is studying architecture at Pomona College, which makes Yarka happy. David Kennett is on the way to becoming a well-known artist and has won top honors in at least one art show.
Besides the younger set, Yarka and Alex keep in close touch with the older generation. Alex’s mother, a Hungarian Holocaust survivor, lives in Monterey. Yarka’s mom, Dr. Clara Prec, is a retired pediatrician who lives near them and sees Yarka almost every day.
What lies ahead?
“More of the same,” Alex said. “We’ll never be bored.”
