Joan Elizabeth Kennedy

Joan Elizabeth Kennedy (nee Finlay)

1926-2021

It is with profound sadness that the family wishes to announce the passing of our beloved Mother, Grandmother, Great Grandmother and Great Great Grandmother, Great Aunt, Joan Kennedy.

Surrounded by family she passed away peacefully at the Neepawa Hospital on March 6th at age 95.

She will be lovingly remembered by her sister Lorraine, three sons Grant, Keith and Ken (Janice) Kennedy, nine Grandchildren Marcy (Neil) Whelpton, Kirk (Shanna) Kennedy, Kendra (Ren) Bouchard, Ryan (Onyinye), Travis (Mackenzie) and Blake Kennedy, Gordon (Jaime), Jimmy (Sharina) Kennedy and Alison (Mike) Pearl,  seventeen Great Grandchildren and two Great Great Grandchildren along with numerous nieces and nephews.

Joan was born in the Ethelbert Hospital on January 14th, 1926 to Herb & Francis Finlay. As a family of a railroad man they lived in Renwar and Sprague Manitoba before settling in the Salisbury District NE of Neepawa. Joan was the second of four girls (Helen (deceased), Joan, Lorraine & Edna (deceased)). After attending Glenholm School, Joan moved to Winnipeg and briefly worked at Eaton’s.

On July 3rd 1945 Joan wed Ken Kennedy at the Eden United Church. Together they farmed in the Eden area until dad’s passing in 2002 raising three sons and working side by side on a mixed farm of cattle, swine and grain. It was a deep mutual love and partnership which endured the trials of life and ended with her saying even recently that “she had married the best man to live on the earth”! She looked forward to joining him again and reuniting as a team!

Following Dad’s passing Joan moved into Elks Manor in Neepawa in Sept 2002 and resided there for 19 years before spending a brief 8 month stint at the Yellowhead Manor Supportive Housing before moving on to Country Meadows Personal Care Home for the last 6 weeks of her life.

Joan’s focus and passion were for her marriage and the extended family which came forth from it. She was an excellent homemaker and great cook as well as grain truck driver or farm hand doing what needed to get done both in the home and out on the farm! All she needed for her happiness is that all her family were happy and healthy. She was loyal to a fault and very protective to all family members.

We are going to miss her dearly!

As per her wishes a small private family ceremony will be held at the Neepawa Cemetery.

If friends so desire, memorial donations can be made to the Neepawa Palliative Care Unit at the Neepawa Hospital or the Neepawa Hospital Foundation.

White’s Funeral Home in care of arrangements. www.whitesfn.ca

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