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Obituary
Alice Mae Kennedy was born May 13, 1929 in Lincoln County, South Dakota to parents, C. Elmer and Lily S. (Gustafson) Larson. She died Friday, September 14, 2018 at Bethesda Inn in Beresford, SD at the age of 89 years, four months and one day.
Following her graduation from Beresford High School, Alice Mae attended nursing college in Sioux Falls. Her plans for school changed when she met Howard Kennedy and they were married October 5, 1949. Together they raised their children on a farm in Brooklyn township. Alice Mae had a lifelong love for words and writing; she used it to help Howard with correspondence and research when he served as a state legislator and as mayor of Beresford. She also wrote the "Retrospective" column for the Beresford Republic. She was a member of Brooklyn Evangelical Free Church and was currently a member of Beresford Zion United Methodist Church.
As Howard was an enthusiastic traveler, Alice Mae learned to pack their bags in a couple of hours when he decided "Let's go!" Together they visited all but seven of the fifty states, Washington D.C., Mexico, Canada, and western Europe four times. They retired into Beresford in 2001. Alice Mae will be remembered for her wonderful cooking abilities, never forgetting to send birthday greetings and beating you in a game of Scrabble.
She is survived by two daughters, Laurel (Milton) Shearer, Torrance, CA and Margaret (Steve) Elfstrand, Rapid City; two sons, Jack (Kathleen) Kennedy and Tom (Terri) Kennedy, all of Beresford; sister, Judy Mehrens of Primghar, IA; sister-in-law, Helen Grace, Beresford; two brothers-in-law, Charles (Helen) Kennedy, Rochester, MN and Robert (Darlene) Kennedy, Beresford; 18 grandchildren, Faith Shearer, Whitsett, NC, Aaron Shearer, Torrance, CA, Amy (Chris Farley) Kennedy, Dan Kennedy, Sam Kennedy, all of Beresford, Andrew (Amber) Kennedy, Rapid City, Eric (DeeDee) Bresee, Wall, SD, Clint (Jenna) Bresee, Sioux Falls, Katie (James) Westra, Ann (Andrew) Boden all of Beresford, Matt (Aggie Stout) Kennedy, Rapid City, Joe (Sarah) Kennedy, Midland, SD, Laura (Brent) Horner, Bismarck, ND, Molly Kennedy, Parkston, SD, Char (Jamie) Soukup, Wagner, SD, Christine (Nathan) Graves, Yankton, SD, Courtney Cowan and Ray Cowan, both of Beresford; 20 great-grandchildren; and special family members Fredrik and Charlotta Wising, Lerum, Sweden.
Her parents, husband, Howard; daughter, Ruth; grandson, James; granddaughter, Ellen and sister, Lillie Ann preceded her in death.
Memorial services will be 11AM Monday, September 17, 2018 at Beresford Zion United Methodist Church. A memorial visitation will be 4-6PM Sun., Sept. 16th at the church with a prayer service beginning at 5:30PM.
To order memorial trees in memory of Alice Mae Kennedy, please visit our tree store.
Services
Visitation
September
16
Beresford Zion United Methodist Church
4:00 - 6:00 pm
Memorial
September
17
Beresford Zion United Methodist Church
Starts at 11:00 am
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