Sheena Lilian Grant Tennant came from a privileged Scottish family. She was the youngest of the six children of wealthy industrialist James Tennant of Fairlieburne, Fairlie, Ayrshire (nephew of Sir Charles Tennant of the Glen). In 1919 she married Herbert "Ken" Kendall (1881-1964) with whom she travelled to Japan where he worked at the P. & O. office in Kobe. Prior to her marriage she worked as an assistant to Major William Byam (1882-1963), an authority on trench fever, at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Euston, London.

Sheena Tennant Kendall was also a composer who studied under Nadia Boulanger, one of the leading composers and musicians of the 20th century.