Shirley K. Kennedy, age 93 of St. Peter, died on Wednesday, June 25, 2014 at the Rivers Edge Hospital in St. Peter.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 12:00 noon on Tuesday, July 1, 2014 at the Church of St. Peter in St. Peter With Fr. Todd Petersen officiating. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery, St. Peter. Visitation will be from 10:00 am until the start of the service at church. Memorials are preferred to the Church of St. Peter or Mayo Clinic Health System Hospice. St. Peter Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements.
Shirley was born to Jack and Julia (Young) Kennedy November 4, 1920. She was baptized on November 29, 1920 by Father H. Hass in St. Mary's Catholic Church. She grew up on the Kennedy Farm, in Oshawa Township, Nicollet County. Shirley attended country school, spent her freshman and sophomore years at Good Council Academy in Mankato and graduated from St. Peter High School.
Shirley had several jobs over the years, including: Woolworths, Continental Can, Armour Company and Farmers Produce Company all in Mankato; then returning to St. Peter in 1950 to work as a switchboard operator at the St. Peter Regional Treatment Center until her retirement in 1982.
She was a member of St. Marys Catholic Church, their Womens Guild and Funeral Committee. Upon its closing, she joined St. Peters Catholic Church. She was also a member of the Minnesota Retired State Employees Association.
In March 1987, she was chosen St. Peter St. Patricks Day Queen. She proudly participated in each subsequent parade.
Shirley loved working in the yard, arranging flowers, card playing, photography, going for car rides and being neighborly. She was proud to have survived five floods and one tornado at her Front Street home. Shirley never forgot a birthday and loved to honor her familys and friend's milestones with personalized greeting cards or letters. She was a very generous person. Shirley was the hub of her familys news network. Her SK bar making skills were famous.
Shirley was preceded in death by her parents, brother Jim; sisters: Merle (Vane) Dummer and Donna (James) Nutter and nephews John and Mike Kennedy and Noel Blaylock. She is survived by sisters: Audrey (Blay) Blaylock and Dee (Rip) Harbour; and 24 nieces and nephews. Shirley will be sadly missed.