Whether it was knitting sweaters for her children or making cinnamon rolls for her great-grandchildren, Helen Kennedy's life revolved around her family, said relatives of the longtime Oceanside resident.
Helen Pearl Groves Kennedy, 90, died Thursday, July 7, 2005, at Tri-City Medical Center of natural causes.
Born Dec. 29, 1914, in Haxtun, Colo., she lived in Oceanside for 60 years.
Mrs. Kennedy was preceded in death by her husband, Tom Elliot Kennedy, in 1973; son Frank; and siblings Sam, Gladys, Arza, Lowell, Mary Grace, Louis and Lela.
She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Marcia and Sam Williamson; sons and daughter-in-law Troy and Chris Kennedy, Tom A. Kennedy and Ginger Hansen; 13 grandchildren; and 20 great-grandchildren.
A graveside service is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 13, at Eternal Hills Memorial Park with Ken Harrison officiating.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Friends of the Oceanside Public Library, 330 N. Coast Highway, Oceanside, CA 92054, or the American Heart Association.
Eternal Hills Mortuary is handling arrangements.
Kennedy, 90, lived in Oceanside for 60 years before she died Thursday, and family members said she was the glue that kept most of her four children, 13 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren in town.
"She was the heart of the family," said her son, Troy Kennedy, who lives in Oceanside. "She was always just mom."
"Mom" moved with her family to Oceanside when Oceanside Boulevard was only a dirt road, and she was a seamstress who enjoyed sewing her children clothes and crocheting little humpty-dumptys to sit on her grandchildren's shelves.
"I could never buy socks in the stores because she always knit wool socks that were really great," said son Tom Kennedy, who lives, and runs an auto repair shop, in Oceanside. "She was the matriarch of the family, and the one family rule was Christmas at Mom's house."
Christmas at Mom's house meant a chance to taste Helen Kennedy's homemade rolled tacos.
The rolled tacos and cinnamon rolls were Kennedy's specialty, said granddaughter June Weers, who recalled how her grandmother's whole body would bounce up and down when she laughed.
Kennedy and Weers shared many laughs together during the past four years as Weers helped her grandmother recover from a broken leg.
"It was wonderful and it was the best friendship I could have had," said Weers, who also lives in Oceanside. "She was everything to me."
Weers and the rest of the family also meant everything to Kennedy after her husband died in 1973.
"One thing she said before she passed away was that she thought her life was over when her husband died, but the family showed her differently and kept her going," said Weers. "She stayed very strong-willed and independent."
Kennedy, who was born in Haxtun, Colo., the third of eight children, had to learn how to take care of a family at a young age. Her mother died when she was only seven years old, said Kennedy's daughter, Marcia Williamson.
Williamson said when she was a child growing up in Oceanside her mother was really involved in the campfire girls, and when she was an adult she could rely on her mother to be there for her.
"She wasn't a person who got involved in clubs," Williamson said. "She just loved her family and wanted to be with them. She was always there."
Helen Pearl Groves Kennedy, 90, died Thursday, July 7, 2005, at Tri-City Medical Center of natural causes.
Born Dec. 29, 1914, in Haxtun, Colo., she lived in Oceanside for 60 years.
Mrs. Kennedy was preceded in death by her husband, Tom Elliot Kennedy, in 1973; son Frank; and siblings Sam, Gladys, Arza, Lowell, Mary Grace, Louis and Lela.
She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Marcia and Sam Williamson; sons and daughter-in-law Troy and Chris Kennedy, Tom A. Kennedy and Ginger Hansen; 13 grandchildren; and 20 great-grandchildren.
A graveside service is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 13, at Eternal Hills Memorial Park with Ken Harrison officiating.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Friends of the Oceanside Public Library, 330 N. Coast Highway, Oceanside, CA 92054, or the American Heart Association.
Eternal Hills Mortuary is handling arrangements.
Kennedy, 90, lived in Oceanside for 60 years before she died Thursday, and family members said she was the glue that kept most of her four children, 13 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren in town.
"She was the heart of the family," said her son, Troy Kennedy, who lives in Oceanside. "She was always just mom."
"Mom" moved with her family to Oceanside when Oceanside Boulevard was only a dirt road, and she was a seamstress who enjoyed sewing her children clothes and crocheting little humpty-dumptys to sit on her grandchildren's shelves.
"I could never buy socks in the stores because she always knit wool socks that were really great," said son Tom Kennedy, who lives, and runs an auto repair shop, in Oceanside. "She was the matriarch of the family, and the one family rule was Christmas at Mom's house."
Christmas at Mom's house meant a chance to taste Helen Kennedy's homemade rolled tacos.
The rolled tacos and cinnamon rolls were Kennedy's specialty, said granddaughter June Weers, who recalled how her grandmother's whole body would bounce up and down when she laughed.
Kennedy and Weers shared many laughs together during the past four years as Weers helped her grandmother recover from a broken leg.
"It was wonderful and it was the best friendship I could have had," said Weers, who also lives in Oceanside. "She was everything to me."
Weers and the rest of the family also meant everything to Kennedy after her husband died in 1973.
"One thing she said before she passed away was that she thought her life was over when her husband died, but the family showed her differently and kept her going," said Weers. "She stayed very strong-willed and independent."
Kennedy, who was born in Haxtun, Colo., the third of eight children, had to learn how to take care of a family at a young age. Her mother died when she was only seven years old, said Kennedy's daughter, Marcia Williamson.
Williamson said when she was a child growing up in Oceanside her mother was really involved in the campfire girls, and when she was an adult she could rely on her mother to be there for her.
"She wasn't a person who got involved in clubs," Williamson said. "She just loved her family and wanted to be with them. She was always there."
Whether it was knitting sweaters for her children or making cinnamon rolls for her great-grandchildren, Helen Kennedy's life revolved around her family, said relatives of the longtime Oceanside resident.
Helen Pearl Groves Kennedy, 90, died Thursday, July 7, 2005, at Tri-City Medical Center of natural causes.
Born Dec. 29, 1914, in Haxtun, Colo., she lived in Oceanside for 60 years.
Mrs. Kennedy was preceded in death by her husband, Tom Elliot Kennedy, in 1973; son Frank; and siblings Sam, Gladys, Arza, Lowell, Mary Grace, Louis and Lela.
She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Marcia and Sam Williamson; sons and daughter-in-law Troy and Chris Kennedy, Tom A. Kennedy and Ginger Hansen; 13 grandchildren; and 20 great-grandchildren.
A graveside service is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 13, at Eternal Hills Memorial Park with Ken Harrison officiating.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Friends of the Oceanside Public Library, 330 N. Coast Highway, Oceanside, CA 92054, or the American Heart Association.
Eternal Hills Mortuary is handling arrangements.
Kennedy, 90, lived in Oceanside for 60 years before she died Thursday, and family members said she was the glue that kept most of her four children, 13 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren in town.
"She was the heart of the family," said her son, Troy Kennedy, who lives in Oceanside. "She was always just mom."
"Mom" moved with her family to Oceanside when Oceanside Boulevard was only a dirt road, and she was a seamstress who enjoyed sewing her children clothes and crocheting little humpty-dumptys to sit on her grandchildren's shelves.
"I could never buy socks in the stores because she always knit wool socks that were really great," said son Tom Kennedy, who lives, and runs an auto repair shop, in Oceanside. "She was the matriarch of the family, and the one family rule was Christmas at Mom's house."
Christmas at Mom's house meant a chance to taste Helen Kennedy's homemade rolled tacos.
The rolled tacos and cinnamon rolls were Kennedy's specialty, said granddaughter June Weers, who recalled how her grandmother's whole body would bounce up and down when she laughed.
Kennedy and Weers shared many laughs together during the past four years as Weers helped her grandmother recover from a broken leg.
"It was wonderful and it was the best friendship I could have had," said Weers, who also lives in Oceanside. "She was everything to me."
Weers and the rest of the family also meant everything to Kennedy after her husband died in 1973.
"One thing she said before she passed away was that she thought her life was over when her husband died, but the family showed her differently and kept her going," said Weers. "She stayed very strong-willed and independent."
Kennedy, who was born in Haxtun, Colo., the third of eight children, had to learn how to take care of a family at a young age. Her mother died when she was only seven years old, said Kennedy's daughter, Marcia Williamson.
Williamson said when she was a child growing up in Oceanside her mother was really involved in the campfire girls, and when she was an adult she could rely on her mother to be there for her.
"She wasn't a person who got involved in clubs," Williamson said. "She just loved her family and wanted to be with them. She was always there."
Helen Pearl Groves Kennedy, 90, died Thursday, July 7, 2005, at Tri-City Medical Center of natural causes.
Born Dec. 29, 1914, in Haxtun, Colo., she lived in Oceanside for 60 years.
Mrs. Kennedy was preceded in death by her husband, Tom Elliot Kennedy, in 1973; son Frank; and siblings Sam, Gladys, Arza, Lowell, Mary Grace, Louis and Lela.
She is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Marcia and Sam Williamson; sons and daughter-in-law Troy and Chris Kennedy, Tom A. Kennedy and Ginger Hansen; 13 grandchildren; and 20 great-grandchildren.
A graveside service is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 13, at Eternal Hills Memorial Park with Ken Harrison officiating.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Friends of the Oceanside Public Library, 330 N. Coast Highway, Oceanside, CA 92054, or the American Heart Association.
Eternal Hills Mortuary is handling arrangements.
Kennedy, 90, lived in Oceanside for 60 years before she died Thursday, and family members said she was the glue that kept most of her four children, 13 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren in town.
"She was the heart of the family," said her son, Troy Kennedy, who lives in Oceanside. "She was always just mom."
"Mom" moved with her family to Oceanside when Oceanside Boulevard was only a dirt road, and she was a seamstress who enjoyed sewing her children clothes and crocheting little humpty-dumptys to sit on her grandchildren's shelves.
"I could never buy socks in the stores because she always knit wool socks that were really great," said son Tom Kennedy, who lives, and runs an auto repair shop, in Oceanside. "She was the matriarch of the family, and the one family rule was Christmas at Mom's house."
Christmas at Mom's house meant a chance to taste Helen Kennedy's homemade rolled tacos.
The rolled tacos and cinnamon rolls were Kennedy's specialty, said granddaughter June Weers, who recalled how her grandmother's whole body would bounce up and down when she laughed.
Kennedy and Weers shared many laughs together during the past four years as Weers helped her grandmother recover from a broken leg.
"It was wonderful and it was the best friendship I could have had," said Weers, who also lives in Oceanside. "She was everything to me."
Weers and the rest of the family also meant everything to Kennedy after her husband died in 1973.
"One thing she said before she passed away was that she thought her life was over when her husband died, but the family showed her differently and kept her going," said Weers. "She stayed very strong-willed and independent."
Kennedy, who was born in Haxtun, Colo., the third of eight children, had to learn how to take care of a family at a young age. Her mother died when she was only seven years old, said Kennedy's daughter, Marcia Williamson.
Williamson said when she was a child growing up in Oceanside her mother was really involved in the campfire girls, and when she was an adult she could rely on her mother to be there for her.
"She wasn't a person who got involved in clubs," Williamson said. "She just loved her family and wanted to be with them. She was always there."
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