After graduation from high school, I worked at Woolworths and met a man named Jack Skyles Kennedy. He was very interesting and handsome. We courted for a brief time before he proposed to me, and I said Yes! However, Daddy was not happy about me marrying Jack. Jack was a young officer in the Coast Guard. On August 9, 1941, we eloped and were married by the Justice of the Peace in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.

Being a military wife wasn’t easy. We moved every one to four years. I thought the moving was an adventure and education. We lived in Algiers, LA, French Quarter, LA, Coral Gables, FL, Kodiak, AK, Millington, TN, Miami, FL and Norfolk, VA. We also took trips to Japan, Taiwan, Saipan, Philippines, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

In 1951 we moved to Honolulu, Hawaii via the USS Lurline. We had 7 at sea days before arriving. Since Jack was an Airedale in the Coast Guard he was gone quite a bit. Out of everywhere we lived, Hawaii was the family’s favorite.

Our next big move was to Agana, Guam, in 1953. At the time we had to have a passport to be able to get into the country. In 1944 the United States liberated the Island which was occupied by the Japanese. It was our first time living in a “Quonset Hut”. The children loved island life and the culture. We had an amazing life on Guam, although we didn’t see Jack everyday as he was flying.

After Guam we went back to Honolulu, Hawaii. Finally, this is where Jack retired from the Coast Guard.

Throughout the moves I was able to find work as a librarian, bookmobile driver, model, manager of many credit unions, and I wrote two commercials for a Ford dealership.

We had three children. Brent was born in Gulfport, MS, Cynthiawas born in Miami, FL, and John Michael was born in Honolulu, Hawaii.

In 1970 our marriage ended. After twenty-nine years of marriageI suppose you could say I had to learn how to restart life again – single.

What was single life going to look like…well, I moved back to Agana, Guam to be the Government of Guam Credit Union Manager. When the offer was made to apply for the police academy I jumped at it – and was accepted! In 1975 I graduated from the police academy and after 50 hours of additional training I was given my own police car. I had some great assignments to include airport security, jail guard for the women’s section, I escorted Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip to the government house on their first visit to Guam. Most memorable was meeting Pope John Paul II. I was a guard on his pope mobile during a special mass which was held in the Plaza de Espana.

In 1982 I left Guam to live with my son Brent and his family in Heidelberg, Germany. What an amazing journey that was – I loved every minute being in Germany. Brent’s time was getting short as he had been stationed there for 10 years. In 1984, we moved to Salt Lake City, Utah then to Mt. Clemons, Michigan,and Atlanta, Georgia.

In 1995 Brent retired from the U.S. Army we landed in Van Alystne, Texas.

In 2016, Shawn (my granddaughter) and Wyatt invited me to move to Honolulu, Hawaii. Of course I jumped on that invitation. Little did I know there were to be only a few more moves left in me. After Hawaii we went to Florida, and Virginia. Where to next… yes, you guessed it – Britton, South Dakota.

My life has been blessed and fulfilled with my children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, friends, acquaintances, horses and dogs.

I was preceded in death by my mother and father, 5 brothers and 4 sisters, my daughter Cynthia Sue Pratt and my son John Michael Kennedy (Kathleen), and daughter inlaw Carol A.Kennedy.

I’m survived by my, son Brent Kennedy (Chrissy) granddaughter, Shawn Kennedy Kalbrener (Wyatt Kalbrener), great grandson, Eric Urias, grandson, Darryl Chang (Denise), grandson, Brandon Edwards, granddaughter, Aimee Kennedy, grandson, Dylan Kennedy, grandson, Dustin Kennedy (Tiffany), and great grandson Bryson Kennedy. Nieces, Nancy Jo Neelon, Karen Bass Resh, Denise Knox. Nephews, Thomas, Terry and Randy Knox, Raymond Storey, Michael Bass, and Craig Wadsworth.

I want to also thank Maggie and Ed Jerde for all they have done for me, Shawn and Wyatt since we moved to Britton, South Dakota.

As the lights dimmed and the curtain closed, I’m at peace knowing I’ll be laid to rest in Gulfport, Mississippi near my mama and daddy.

A full obituary and online guestbook are available at www.olsonfuneralchapel.com