Gwendolyn Kennedy
August 21, 2010
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Service Details
Gwendolyn Jones Kennedy, 95, of Overland Park, KS formerly of West Des Moines, Iowa, went home to be with the Lord on Saturday, August 21, 2010. Visitation will be held at Hamilton’s Funeral Home, 605 Lyon Street, Des Moines, Iowa on Saturday August 28, at 1:00 P.M., with service following at 2:30 P.M. Burial will be in Colfax, Iowa.
Gwendolyn was born in Colfax, Iowa July 11th, 1915 to Morgan and Kathryn Jones. As a child her family moved to Des Moines, IA where she graduated from East High School in 1933. She worked for Joseph Jewelry as bookkeeper. Both before and after she married L. Emerald Kennedy October 18th, 1936 and then together they spent about thirty year in the ministry after he returned home from the army. They served churches in Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa.
She is survived by her niece Karen Johnson, Overland Park, Kansas and nephew David M. Jones, of Templeton, California and many more much loved nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, and her brother David P. Jones.
Memorials may be made to Alzheimer’s Association.
www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com
Marvin Nehre
08/25/2010
Karen and David,
I have many great memories of Rev. and Mrs. Kennedy during their years in Oskaloosa. I also remember some special visits to Osky, David, and our creative play. I am glad I was able to take my mother to visit with Gwen in Osky just a few years ago. At that time she looked like she did so many years before when Oskaloosa was her home. She was always a lady and willing to go the extra mile whether it was a church activity or just having kids in her house. She will be missed.
Marvin Nehre
Marcia Street
08/24/2010
My mother, Lois Nehre, and I wish to send our sympathy to the family. Gwen was my youth leader at First Baptist Church in Oskaloosa. The Kennedys played a very special place in my spiritual life. Gwen was such a loving and kind person and modeled what it meant to be a Christian even when things weren't going well at the church. She had such a positive attitude and a wonderful laugh that helped me remember not to take life too seriously. She also modeled what it meant to be a Christian helpmate to her minister husband. I am sure there was a great crowd of people who welcomed her to her heavenly home. I thank God for having her in my church life all the time I was growing up. She gave me the highest compliment any girl would ever want when she said, "If I could have a little girl I would want her to be just like you."
Lois would like to share what a wonderful friend Gwen was all the time that they lived in Oskaloosa. They even taught together in the Handicapped School which opened its doors in the later 50's. They shared many things often over the telephone. She also enjoyed the too few visits when Gwen was in her mobile home. Their last time together was when Sherry Lippert brought her to Oskaloosa and I brought Lois from her home in Cedar Falls. Gwen was doing so well and was so glad to see the church in such good shape. She said the memories really did flow. Lois is happy that Gwen could be close to her special niece Karen before she passed into her heavenly home.
What a blessing to have known such a wonderful Christian woman.
Love, Joy and Peace, Marcia and Lois