John Quane Kenyon Jr.

Quane Kenyon, 60 passed away on October 3, 2021, due to complications of esophageal cancer. John Quane Kenyon, Jr, was born on November 4, 1960, in Pocatello, Idaho to Quane and Geraldean Kenyon. As a kid Quane lived in Utah and Michigan before moving to Boise in the 7th grade, and aside from college he resided in Boise the rest of his life.
Quane was a beloved husband, father, coach, teacher and school administrator, but most of all he was a friend to everyone. Coach Kenyon played football at Borah High School, graduating in 1979. He went on to play football at TVCC in Ontario, Oregon for two years, earning all-conference honors. He then finished his playing career at Montana Western. Coaching football was Quane’s passion, he started his coaching career in 1986 in Ekalaka, Montana, where he coached 8 man football for three years before Coach Wil Overgaard gave him the chance to return to his beloved Borah High School as Offensive Line Coach in 1988. Quane spent the next two decades at Borah where he taught history and coached football. Quane was also blessed with the opportunity to join the Bishop Kelly coaching family, where he coached football for over 10 years and made many deep and lasting friendships. The absolute highlight of his career happened this fall when he had the opportunity to return to Borah to coach with son JQ, Head Coach and son Hunter, Running Backs coach. Quane was in a weakened state yet put in the long hours to assist his sons, but he never complained.
Quane was a vice-principal at Borah, Fairmont Jr. High and North Jr. High before becoming the Principal at Fairmont Jr. High in 2017. He begrudgingly retired from Fairmont in December of 2020, due to his battle with cancer. Quane loved that Fairmont faculty; and he especially loved those Fairmont kids.
It is not an overstatement to say that throughout his career as a teacher, coach and school administrator he impacted the lives of thousands. Teaching was the instrument that molded his life and helping his students succeed, especially those that were hard to reach, is when his light shown the brightest. As a football coach his proudest moments were not how many all-state players he coached, but his eyes truly lit up when he told the stories of the second or third string kid suddenly forced into the game, and making the play. No tribute to Quane Kenyon would be complete without recognizing the Rhino. Quane taught his family, athletes and students to live like a “Rhino”-- Rhinos have no fear, never give up, charge massively and receive massive success.
Quane was blessed with an amazing gift of empathy as he could talk with anyone, make friends with anyone, and was a friend to everyone—always, always advocating for the underdog. Quane’s greatest love is his family. Quane collected many, many things and one of them was every memory with his family.
Quane is survived by his caring wife, Mariellen, his three children JQ (Whitney), Hunter and Kaycee, his mother Geraldean, two brothers Steve (Tay), Craig (Tonia), sister Tracy (John) Leavitt and his ex-wife and friend Suzette (Joe), his two grandsons JQ and Jace, and Mariellen’s children, Emily (Spencer), Mason (Lorieann), Kyle and Blake and grandchildren, Grant, Henry, Sam, Barrett, Kingsley, Clive, Robin, Jane and Kate who adored him. He was proceeded in death by his Father Quane Kenyon, Sr.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, October 9th at 11:00am in the Borah High School Auditorium. A viewing will be held Friday, October 8th from 6pm-8pm at Relyea Funeral Chapel. Burial will be Tuesday, October 12th, 1:00pm at Dry Creek Cemetery.
For donations in memory of Quane, please go to https://boiseschoolsfoundation49704.thankyou4caring.org/ --designation is “Rhino Fund”.