ALPHA ELIZABETH “BETTY” KENNEDY, 93, FORMERLY OF LAWRENCE, DIED FEBRUARY 5, 2012 AT THE KANSAS CITY HOSPICE HOUSE, KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.
BETTY WAS BORN MAY 3, 1918 IN CHANUTE, KANSAS TO CLIFFORD S. BLACKBURN AND ALPHA M. BLACKBURN. SHE WAS A 1936 GRADUATE OF MADISON, KANSAS HIGH SCHOOL AND A 1940 GRADUATE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS SCHOOL OF PHARMACY.
ON APRIL 7, 1940, SHE MARRIED CECIL E. KENNEDY, A 1940 GRADUATE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS SCHOOL OF BUSINESS. FOLLOWING HIS GRADUATION, HE SERVED 3 YEARS IN THE UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS IN THE PACIFIC RIM. UPON HONORABLE DISCHARGE FROM THE MARINES, BETTY AND CECIL LIVED IN MANY LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CENTRAL UNITED STATES AND IN ARUBA WHERE CECIL WAS A CONSTRUCTION STEEL WORKER.
IN 1947, THEY BOUGHT THE REXALL DRUG STORE IN PLAINVILLE KANSAS WHERE THEY LIVED UNTIL 1965 WHEN THEY MOVED TO LAWRENCE. DURING THAT PERIOD, THEY ALSO OWNED AND OPERATED THE GRAIN ELEVATOR IN STOCKTON, KS.
UPON MOVING TO LAWRENCE, BETTY WAS AN AVID FAN OF KANSAS UNIVERSITY SPORTS ESPECIALLY BASKETBALL HAVING HELD SEASON TICKETS FOR 40 CONSECUTIVE YEARS. SHE WAS ALSO A GOLFER AT LAWRENCE COUNTRY CLUB AND PARTICIPATED IN NUMEROUS BOWLING LEAGUES. SHE FREQUENTLY TRAVELED TO NATIONAL BOWLING TOURNAMENTS THROUGHOUT THE U.S. BETTY WAS ALSO AN AVID BRIDGE PLAYER.
SURVIVORS INCLUDE A DAUGHTER AND SON-IN-LAW, KATHY AND RON BAKER, OWNERS OF WILLOWRIDGE LANDSCAPE COMPANY IN LAWRENCE, TWO GRANDSONS, CASEY W BAKER AND JAY M. BAKER, BOTH OF LAWRENCE, TWO GREAT GRANDCHILDREN, A SON AND DAUGHTER-IN-LAW, JOHN AND BARBARA KENNEDY OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI. ALSO SURVIVING IS ONE SISTER, LOIS WILSON OF WICHITA AND SEVERAL NEICES AND NEPHEWS.
SERVICES FOR BETTY WILL BE 2:00 P.M. SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2012 AT THE RUMSEY-YOST FUNERAL HOME, 601 INDINA, LAWRENCE, KS 66044.
Kathy, we are so sorry for your loss. Our prayers and thoughts are sent to you and your family.
Kathy, Ron and family. May the thoughts and prayers of family and friends comfort you at this time. Loosing your mom is difficult and we wanted you to know we’re thinking of you. Our sympathy.
Kathy, our deepest sympathy to you, Ron, Casey and Jay. Your sorrow is shared by everyone who knew and loved Betty. May memories fill your heart and comfort you in days to come.
Kathy, Ron, Casey & Jay,
Our heartfelt condolences on the passing of your mom/grandma. I have many vivid memories of Betty, who we all know loved her beloved Jayhawks and golf and bridge and…. Thoughts and prayers to all of you.
John, we are so sorry to hear about the death of your mom and we extend our deepest sympathy, as it is very difficult losing a mother. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.
We are so sad to hear about Tita Betty’s death. We loved seeing and spending time with her during the holidays. We will be missing her when holidays come. She was a kindhearted woman and fun to be around.
May she rest in peace.
I just want to express my sympathy to you and Barbara in your loss. I’m truly sorry for the passing of your mom.
Thank you for the honor of being part of your life and caring for you and your loved one. We wish you peace and comfort on your journey of healing. May God walk with you in your grief.
We all loved Aunt Betty, and i always enjoyed seeing her and Uncle Cecil on our visits to Lawrence. I was so impressed to know she was a pharmacist at your family’s business in Plainville. Thank you so much, John for calling me on sunday morning. I said a prayer for her in church. Losing a mother is one of the deepest sorrows a heart can know. But her goodness, her caring, and her wisdom live on-like a legacy of love that will always be with you. May that love surround you now and bring you peace.
Your mom, through your memories, will never leave you. You feel her tender care from now on as as warm serenity in your heart. Hoping you always feel the encouragement of her love, and hold in memory all the happy times you spent together. She is always with you.
Just to let you know, you have our sincere sympathy at this difficult time. Our thoughts and prayers are with you both.
Although at this time of sorrow there’s so
little words can say. May our words of sympathy may bring you comfort.
I’m wishing you the comfort of loving memories of your mom and the feeling that you’ll always connected to her and close to your heart. Not so long ago someone told me,
Death is not extinguishing the light, it is
putting out the lamp because dawn has come.
Thinking of you in this difficult time.
At this difficult time, may the memories of your mom, warm your heart. My deepest sympathy to you.
Thinking of you, at this difficult time. May the beautiful memories of your mom fill your heart and help bring you comfort.
Thinking of you, John and my deepest sympathy. Many thoughts are with you right now. May God help you get through this tough time.
I’m sorry to hear about the passing of your mom. I am glad that you are viewing this a celebration of life. She had an extraordinary 93 years.
I was so sad to hear of Aunt Betty’s death and have such fond memories of the whole scene at your house when we visited and we were all kids. She had a very sly sense of humor that i appreciated and it was always interesting to hear her take on any subject.
How amazing that she and my mother both lived to be 93, as we’ve said. I’d like to think they are together somewhere with all the Kennedy’s having a grand conversation.
John, you were such a devoted son, and i can only imagine how much that meant to her.
My thoughts and prayers are with you and Barbara.
My deepest sympathy and prayers to you and
your family.