July 7, 1929 - May 16, 2020
Leola Kennedy, age 90, passed away peacefully in the home of her caregivers in Lake Oswego, May 16, 2020, following a long journey with dementia.
Leola was born July 7, 1929 to Lloyd and Mary Elliott in the Milwaukie home of her grandparents. She graduated from Milwaukie High School in 1947. After attending a junior college in California she was employed as a bookkeeper and cashier at an insurance company in Portland. On May 6, 1950 she married Douglas K. Kennedy. He died in 2009. Together they raised three children. They lived in east Portland for 39 years before retiring to their ocean view home in Depoe Bay.
Leola quit working at the insurance company in 1951 to raise their three children. She spent the next 18 years leading Cub Scout and Camp Fire groups and working for the local little league. When her oldest was in high school she took a part-time job with Richland Water District in northeast Portland where she worked for 17 years running the one-person office. Her last position was as city recorder for Wood Village from 1986 to 1992 when she retired for good. As a family they spent many summer vacations tent camping throughout Oregon and Northern California and several weekends in Pacific City with family friends. After the children were grown Doug and Lee bought a sailboat and spent many leisurely days sailing on the Columbia River and Puget Sound’s San Juan Islands. When the sailboat became too much work they sold it and bought their home at the coast in 1986. During their time in Depoe Bay they enjoyed volunteering at the Oregon Coast Aquarium from 1992 until Doug suffered a stroke in 2003.
Although not a big talker, mom was a very sweet, calm person with a gentle demeanor. Always pleasant to be around. She never said an unkind word about anyone. Leola was gracious to the end. Her last coherent words to her caregiver was “thank you” a few days before she died. She loved her family and grandchildren, always willing to babysit and take them for extended visits to their home in Depoe Bay. She loved hosting and attending the large gatherings of aunts, uncles and cousins every summer and at Christmas. She belonged to the same Bunco group for more than 30 years.
Leola is survived by children, Bruce (Sandy) Kennedy of Bend, Mary (Mark) Maleta of Tigard and Thomas Kennedy of Portland; grandchildren, Andrew Kennedy of Portland, Patrick Kennedy of Portland, Morgan Maleta of Tigard and Molly Maleta (Ryan) Hotchkiss of Tigard; sister Dolores Dyer of Salem, brothers Frank Elliott of Sherwood, and Lloyd Elliott Jr. of Portland.
Special thanks to Leola’s caregivers for the last seven years Ninel and Angela Gorgan. Please send remembrance donations to the Oregon Coast Aquarium at aquarium.org or the Northwest Oregon Chapter of the American Red Cross.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date at the home of Leola’s daughter. Young’s funeral home will post the information on their Website.
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