Betty Lorraine Kennedy

Betty Lorraine Kennedy, 88, of Cedar Rapids, died at home on Friday, January 18, 2013. Funeral Mass: 10 a.m. Tuesday, January 22, 2013, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Cedar Rapids, by Rev. Christopher Podhajsky. Visitation: 4-8 p.m. on Monday at Stewart Baxter Funeral & Memorial Services, Cedar Rapids, with a vigil service at 6 p.m. Burial: Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Cedar Rapids. Survivors include her sons, Michael Kennedy of Chicago, Illinois, Ronald Kennedy of Cedar Rapids, and Donald Kennedy of Palm Springs, California; her daughters, Catherine (Don) Jones of Cedar Rapids, and Patricia (Steve) Hopkins of San Diego, California; a daughter-in-law, Mary Kennedy of Cedar Rapids; nine grandchildren, Amy Wyss, Karie Schroeder, Tim Jones, Patrick Jones, Kevin Jones, Amy Soukup, Ashley Soukup, Molly Hopkins, and Danielle Hopkins; six great grandchildren, Jordan, Kristin, Nicole, Matthew, Emmy and Isabella; and many nieces and nephews. Betty was born January 22, 1924, in Cedar Rapids, the daughter of Lester Vern and Anna (Finnerty) Gordon. She attended school at Immaculate Conception, graduating with the class of 1942. During World War II, Betty worked for Western Union sending telegrams around the world to support the war effort. On June 15, 1946, she married Herbert J. Kennedy. While raising her children, Betty was a homemaker and also worked with the Immaculate Conception school lunch programs. Later she worked for 15 years at Sears. A lifetime member of Immaculate Conception, she was active with the St. Theresa Circle. Betty enjoyed traveling around the country. She will be greatly missed by her family. She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Herbert; brother, Jack Gordon; sisters, Florence (Henry) Burgess, Delores (Richard) Spiegel, and Anita (Loyal) Vogt; and her son, Gordon T. Kennedy. Memorials are suggested to Immaculate Conception Catholic Church or Camp Courageous of Iowa.