On December 12, 1927, Leila Mae Carlton was born in Rockvale, Tennessee to Irvin and Eula Maxwell Carlton. Growing up as a country girl in that rural community, she attended a one-room schoolhouse. An outstanding basketball player for the Rockettes, Leila became Valedictorian of her graduating class. After graduating high school, Leila moved to the big city of Nashville where she attended the Nashville Business College and where she met and fell in love with a city boy, Oscar “Dooney” Kennedy, Jr. Married to Dooney in 1948, Leila would raise a family with him until his untimely death in 1977.
In 1978, Leila Carlton Kennedy, the young widow with two children, fell in love with a young widower, Charles F. Rust, to whom she became married and with whom she would share her home and life until his passing in 2006. At the time of their union, Leila’s two children and Charles’ five children became a Lucky Seven!
Very early in her adult life, Leila met the challenge of balancing family life with work. Starting out as a part-time bookkeeper with the American Cancer Society (ACS), she would rise to serve as Director of Professional Education for ACS throughout Tennessee before her retirement.
Preceded in death by parents, Irvin and Eula Carlton; brother, Irvin Carlton, Jr.; sister, Elizabeth Taylor Carlton; husbands, Oscar Kennedy, Jr. and Charles F. Rust; son and daughter-in-law, William (Dan) Rust and Janice Nolen; and sons-in-law, Fred Waymack and Bernie Jackson. Leila is survived by children, Judge Randy Kennedy (Debbie), Pat Kennedy Nollner (Greg Synowiec), Don Rust, Dale Waymack, David Rust (Elaine), and Debbie Rust Jackson; grandchildren David Kennedy, Jr. (Rachel), Shelley Kennedy, Justin Nollner, Jamie Huddleston (Stephen), Tiffany LaFontaine (Dan), Dominic Synowiec, Ryan Rust, Kaley Rust, Autumn Rust, Ana Crecraft (Matthew), Cullen Waymack, Taylor Jackson (Jewell), Ruth Watkins (Baker), Ema Gallegos (Juan); great-grandchildren Camille Kennedy, Evie Kennedy, Sam Kennedy, Callen Huddleston, Lillie Huddleston, Wyatt, Huddleston, Evelyn Watkins, Berns Watkins, Russel Watkins, Anthony Gallegos, Daniel Crecraft, Matthew Crecraft, and Sammy Crecraft., Berns, and Russel Watkins, and Anthony Gallegos.
An active member of the Hermitage Hills Baptist Church, her Sunday School class and Heartbeat Ministries until recent years of declining health, Leila truly loved all of her friends, particularly the Friends of Stanford Estates, Mary Davenport, the Purcells, June Bearden, as well as John Hamblin, and the late Pat Head Summit.
Visitation with the family will be this Thursday 4:00pm to 7:00pm. Funeral at 11:00am on Friday at Hermitage Funeral Home.
Active PallBearers: Grandsons
Honorary PallBearers: Granddaughters and Friends
While Leila loved flowers, you may wish to make donations in lieu to the American Cancer Society or the charity of your choice. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared with the Rust family by selection "Add a Memory" at the bottom of this page.
