1934
Jackie
2015
Jackie Kennedy
September 1, 1934 — August 26, 2015
Jacqueline Kennedy
Jacqueline Lucille Kennedy (thee Jackie Kennedy!!), 80, went to celebrate her 81st birthday with Jesus and her beloved husband Don, died August 26, 2015, at Sunrise Heights in Wauneta, after an amazing and courageous battle with cancer. She was born September 1, 1934, to J. Milo and Lucille (Schutte) Spaulding in Indianola, Nebraska.
Soon after Jackie was born, her family moved to Benkelman, Nebraska. She attended Benkelman Public Schools and graduated from Benkelman High School in 1952. As a young girl of about 4 years old, Jackie learned how to swim—learning the sink or swim method by her dad throwing her in the river!! She spent the majority of her summer time at the pool. They called her the “frog”. She swam so much that her very blonde hair would turn green in the summer. They didn’t have special shampoos that would take that green out of hair at that time!
Jackie played softball for many years, starting as a young girl and well into her adulthood, until her knees wouldn’t let her play anymore. She played every position at one time or another, with pitcher being her strongest suit. Her style of pitching was different than what you see now, but very effective and accurate. She told a story that one day she was practicing pitching against a concrete well house at the farm and hit a cat with one of her pitches, killing a cat that was near the well house!! When asked what she did then, she replied “I cried”!!
Jackie also liked to roller skate. It was while roller skating at the skating rink in Benkelman, that she met the love of her life, Donald Kennedy from Wauneta, in 1950. They were married May 21, 1952, in Wray, Colorado. To this union, 4 children were born: Jannette, Larry, Danny and Victoria. Don and Jackie were pretty much inseparable for over 61 years, until Don’s death in July of 2013.
Jackie loved most sports and attended a lot of various sporting events. She loved watching her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren at every opportunity. One of her last sporting events to see was going to Douglas, Wyoming, with Jannette to watch her great-grandson play football and then a side trip to a casino in South Dakota on the way home!! Jackie enjoyed many activities over the years. She bowled on leagues for 18 years or more, qualifying for the State Bowling Tournaments for as many years. She was a member of the Garfield Club that was established in the 1960’s that continues to meet once a month. Jackie was an EMT for 13 years on the Wauneta Ambulance Crew and she helped the Red Cross Blood Mobile for 35 years, donating 9 gallons of blood—she was very disappointed when she couldn’t give blood anymore. Jackie was a member of the local Red Hatters and she was known as the official “Hug Lady” at the Farmers’ Café at Sunrise Heights.
Jackie loved to sing, and sang at many events and talent contests over the years. The last few weeks, she sang to visitors that came to see her at the home. “Life is a song. God’s Love is Music”. On the trip to Wauneta this morning heard a song that reminded me of Mom with part of the lyrics “There’s a little bit of Devil in her Angel eyes, a little bit of Heaven with a wild side!!” Jackie always said she was going to “live ‘til she died”!! AND SHE DID!!!
Jackie was preceded in death by her husband Don; parents and parents-in-law Milo & Lucille Spaulding and Presley & Effie Kennedy; son-in-law John Lantis; brothers-in-law Dale Blecha, Bill Kennedy and Virgil Kerchal; sisters-in-law Frances Kerchal and Luella Terry.
Survivors include: Daughter: Jannette Lantis of Hershey, Nebraska. Daughter: Vickie (Dave) Jussel of Waddell, Arizona/Wauneta, Nebraska. Son: Larry (Gracia) Kennedy of North Platte, Nebraska. Son: Dan (Teresa) Kennedy of Purdum, Nebraska. Sister: Jeannie Blecha of Benkelman, Nebraska. Sister-in-law: Lola Kennedy of Culbertson, Nebraska. Brother-in-law: Jack Terry of Commerce City, Colorado. Grandchildren: Stacy (Patrick) Ringlein; Sandy (Trevor) Moon; Sherry Lantis; Shad (Megan) Lantis; Misty (Todd) Armstrong; Marcy Kennedy; Micah (Danielle) Kennedy; Candice (Jason) Wilson; Christy (Casey) Tucker; Kelly (Kat) Kennedy; Brent Jussel; Michelle McCarthy. 16 Great-Grandchildren. Many Nieces, Nephews, and many, many friends—she knew no strangers!!
Funeral Services for Jackie will be held Wednesday, September 2, 2015, 10:30 a.m. (MT), at the United Methodist Church in Wauneta, Nebraska, with Pastor Bonnie McCord officiating. Interment will follow at Riverside Cemetery, Wauneta, Nebraska.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, September 1, 2015, 2:00-6:00 p.m. (MT), at the funeral home in Wauneta, Nebraska.
A memorial has been established in Jackie’s memory to the EMT’s of Wauneta, the Wauneta Senior Center, and the American Legion of Wauneta.
On-line condolences may be left at liewerfuneralhome.com
LIEWER FUNERAL HOME IN CHARGE OF ARRANGEMENTS
Jacqueline Lucille Kennedy (thee Jackie Kennedy!!), 80, went to celebrate her 81st birthday with Jesus and her beloved husband Don, died August 26, 2015, at Sunrise Heights in Wauneta, after an amazing and courageous battle with cancer. She was born September 1, 1934, to J. Milo and Lucille (Schutte) Spaulding in Indianola, Nebraska.
Soon after Jackie was born, her family moved to Benkelman, Nebraska. She attended Benkelman Public Schools and graduated from Benkelman High School in 1952. As a young girl of about 4 years old, Jackie learned how to swim—learning the sink or swim method by her dad throwing her in the river!! She spent the majority of her summer time at the pool. They called her the “frog”. She swam so much that her very blonde hair would turn green in the summer. They didn’t have special shampoos that would take that green out of hair at that time!
Jackie played softball for many years, starting as a young girl and well into her adulthood, until her knees wouldn’t let her play anymore. She played every position at one time or another, with pitcher being her strongest suit. Her style of pitching was different than what you see now, but very effective and accurate. She told a story that one day she was practicing pitching against a concrete well house at the farm and hit a cat with one of her pitches, killing a cat that was near the well house!! When asked what she did then, she replied “I cried”!!
Jackie also liked to roller skate. It was while roller skating at the skating rink in Benkelman, that she met the love of her life, Donald Kennedy from Wauneta, in 1950. They were married May 21, 1952, in Wray, Colorado. To this union, 4 children were born: Jannette, Larry, Danny and Victoria. Don and Jackie were pretty much inseparable for over 61 years, until Don’s death in July of 2013.
Jackie loved most sports and attended a lot of various sporting events. She loved watching her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren at every opportunity. One of her last sporting events to see was going to Douglas, Wyoming, with Jannette to watch her great-grandson play football and then a side trip to a casino in South Dakota on the way home!! Jackie enjoyed many activities over the years. She bowled on leagues for 18 years or more, qualifying for the State Bowling Tournaments for as many years. She was a member of the Garfield Club that was established in the 1960’s that continues to meet once a month. Jackie was an EMT for 13 years on the Wauneta Ambulance Crew and she helped the Red Cross Blood Mobile for 35 years, donating 9 gallons of blood—she was very disappointed when she couldn’t give blood anymore. Jackie was a member of the local Red Hatters and she was known as the official “Hug Lady” at the Farmers’ Café at Sunrise Heights.
Jackie loved to sing, and sang at many events and talent contests over the years. The last few weeks, she sang to visitors that came to see her at the home. “Life is a song. God’s Love is Music”. On the trip to Wauneta this morning heard a song that reminded me of Mom with part of the lyrics “There’s a little bit of Devil in her Angel eyes, a little bit of Heaven with a wild side!!” Jackie always said she was going to “live ‘til she died”!! AND SHE DID!!!
Jackie was preceded in death by her husband Don; parents and parents-in-law Milo & Lucille Spaulding and Presley & Effie Kennedy; son-in-law John Lantis; brothers-in-law Dale Blecha, Bill Kennedy and Virgil Kerchal; sisters-in-law Frances Kerchal and Luella Terry.
Survivors include: Daughter: Jannette Lantis of Hershey, Nebraska. Daughter: Vickie (Dave) Jussel of Waddell, Arizona/Wauneta, Nebraska. Son: Larry (Gracia) Kennedy of North Platte, Nebraska. Son: Dan (Teresa) Kennedy of Purdum, Nebraska. Sister: Jeannie Blecha of Benkelman, Nebraska. Sister-in-law: Lola Kennedy of Culbertson, Nebraska. Brother-in-law: Jack Terry of Commerce City, Colorado. Grandchildren: Stacy (Patrick) Ringlein; Sandy (Trevor) Moon; Sherry Lantis; Shad (Megan) Lantis; Misty (Todd) Armstrong; Marcy Kennedy; Micah (Danielle) Kennedy; Candice (Jason) Wilson; Christy (Casey) Tucker; Kelly (Kat) Kennedy; Brent Jussel; Michelle McCarthy. 16 Great-Grandchildren. Many Nieces, Nephews, and many, many friends—she knew no strangers!!
Funeral Services for Jackie will be held Wednesday, September 2, 2015, 10:30 a.m. (MT), at the United Methodist Church in Wauneta, Nebraska, with Pastor Bonnie McCord officiating. Interment will follow at Riverside Cemetery, Wauneta, Nebraska.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, September 1, 2015, 2:00-6:00 p.m. (MT), at the funeral home in Wauneta, Nebraska.
A memorial has been established in Jackie’s memory to the EMT’s of Wauneta, the Wauneta Senior Center, and the American Legion of Wauneta.
On-line condolences may be left at liewerfuneralhome.com
LIEWER FUNERAL HOME IN CHARGE OF ARRANGEMENTS
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