MARILYN (MEYER) KENNEDY

Marilyn (Meyer) Kennedy Marilyn Kennedy of Caledonia died on Oct. 11, her 88th birthday. The daughter of William P. and Rose (Ernster) Meyer, she was born in 1931 in Caledonia and lived almost her entire life in the Meyer house on Pine Street. Birthdays were so significant to Marilyn that it came as no surprise to her family that she lived to see the dawn of her 89th year. She marked her own birthdays and those of others with gusto. She telephoned family members on their birthdays and sang in a sweet, beautiful voice the “Happy Birthday” song. Occasionally, she dialed the wrong number, but it mattered not. She sang the full song to anyone who answered. She graduated from Loretto High School in 1949. In August 1955, she married Harold Kennedy at St. Peter’s Catholic Church (now St. Mary’s) in Caledonia. She cherished her role as a mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. But she also found extraordinary satisfaction in work, which she discovered when she was employed at Blexrud’s grocery after high school. Even four decades later, she prided herself on good service and friendly bantering with customers while working the early-morning shift at Kraus’ Country Store. She was a long-time employee in the cafeteria at Caledonia Elementary School, and, over the years, she also worked at Renner’s Drug Store, Standard Lumber, Schroeder Jewelry and Caledonia State Bank. She begrudgingly quit working at age 83 but continually expressed interest in going back to work. An active volunteer, she donated her time and talents to St. Mary’s Church, the American Red Cross Bloodmobile, Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts and the high school band parents’ group, among other organizations. Survivors include four children and their spouses, Kathryn Kennedy (Gary Kicinski) of Alexandria, Va., Elizabeth (Greg) Myhre of Caledonia, Michael Kennedy Sr. (Laurie Lonsdorf) of Carver, Minn., and Bridget (Brian) Ideker of Eyota, Minn.; eight grandchildren, Andrew Kicinski, Ann and Chris Myhre, Michael and Jacob Kennedy, and William, Megan and Julia Ideker; two great-grandchildren; two brothers-in-law, Harold Hassing of Hayward, Wis., and Tom Gallagher of Bloomington, Minn.; and 12 nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Harold; parents; sister, Cleo Brown; brother, Leon J. Meyer; brother-in-law, Charles Brown; sisters-in-law, Mary Hassing, Arlus Gallagher and Helen Meyer; and niece Ann Hassing. Funeral Mass will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 15, at St. Mary’s Church, Caledonia, with the Rev. Tom Jennings officiating. A rosary will be said at 3:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 14, at Holy Family Hall, followed by visitation from 4 to 7 p.m. Visitation also will be held immediately before the funeral at the church. Burial will be at Calvary Cemetery. Those wishing to make remembrance donations in Marilyn’s name are encouraged to consider the American Red Cross, the Alzheimer’s Association and St. Mary’s Catholic Church. Marilyn’s family would like to thank Dr. Jonathan Ticku and the team at Mayo Cancer Center for their care and support, as well as the staff at Spring Grove Assisted Living and Gundersen Tweeten Care Center.

MARILYN (MEYER) KENNEDY

October 11, 1931 - October 11, 2019