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.
