Evelyn R. Kennedy

Evelyn Roberta (Savage) Kennedy, the daughter of Bertha (Holmes) Savage and John E. Savage, Sr., was born Jan. 11, 1933, in her grandparent’s home in Greenfield. They moved many times during her childhood. She graduated from Newton High School in 1951.

Evelyn lived in Newton all of her adult life, moving to Grinnell in 2008, and Montezuma in 2016. Evelyn lived with her daughter, Deb, from 2010 until December of 2016, when she moved to Montezuma Nursing Home.

Evelyn was united in marriage with Roy N. Kennedy Jan. 1, 1954, in Newton. They were blessed with three children, Mike, Dan and Deb. Evelyn worked at Newton Manufacturing and then stayed at home until Deb started school. She later worked for the Newton School District as a cook at various schools for five years until taking a job at Pyramid Incorporated, where she retired from in 1995.

Evelyn was a member of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints. She was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. Evelyn enjoyed traveling with her children and grandchildren only by car, with yearly trips to Michigan to visit her baby sister and family. Evelyn enjoyed everything her children and grandchildren were involved in including doing crafts with them and going to their activities. She was the photographer of the family, always having a camera in hand.

Evelyn died at the age of 84 at Montezuma Care Initiatives Nursing Home under the care of Hospice Sunday, June 11, 2017. She was preceded in death by her parents, John in 1976 and Bertha in 2004; son, Mike in 2006; sister, Lois in 1999; brother, Leonard in 2008; and husband, Roy in 2008.

Those left to honor Evelyn’s memory are her daughter, Debra Kennedy of Montezuma; son, Dan (Valerie) Kennedy of Farrar; grandsons, Dustin (Sara) Montgomery of Grinnell and Benjamin Kennedy of Farrar; granddaughters, Shelby (Jonathan Adams) Montgomery of Winterset and Gracie Kennedy of Farrar; sister, Jeanie (Jim) Ackerman of Olivet, Mich.; two brothers, Donald Savage of Des Moines and Robert Savage of Austin, Texas; as well as many special cousins, nieces and nephews who she loved dearly.

A funeral service will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 14 at the Wallace Family Funeral Home and Crematory. The family will greet friends from 10 a.m. until the time of service Wednesday at the funeral home. Memorials may be left to Evelyn’s family and a donation will be made to Hospice.