Jannie Mae Kennedy Obituary (1927 - 2020)

Jannie Mae Kennedy passed away peacefully at home on October 24, 2020 surrounded by her loving family at the age of 93. Jannie was born on February 23, 1927 in Brenham, Texas to William Andrews and Dora Green Andrews. She was a graduate of Brenham High School where she played basketball. After graduation, she moved to Galveston, Texas and met her former husband, George Hayward Jr. They raised four beautiful children together. Jannie later married Emmitt Kennedy Sr., and they were blessed with 30 years of marriage until his death. She worked as a dispatcher in the Patient Transportation Department at UTMB, providing over twenty years of dedicated service before retiring in 1994. Jannie enjoyed spending time with her family and friends. She loved to get dressed up for social gatherings, watch Cowboys football, and cook meals with love. No family get-together was complete without her sweet potato yams and lemon meringue pie. Her faith in God was strong and unwavering. Jannie was a longtime member of St. Paul's United Methodist Church, where she was an active participant in the church choir. She raised her children in church, teaching them to share her love of God, to be independent and to take care of themselves and each other. Jannie's strong and passionate qualities will continue to manifest in her lineage of devoted children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Jannie was preceded in death by her parents, William Andrews, Walter Block and Dora Green Block; her husband, Emmitt Kennedy Sr.; her son, Willie Lavon Hayward; her grandson, Willie Lavon Holmes; her sisters, Clara Littles, Leebirda Gee, Sedona Hall, Violet Lawrence, Rosetta Block, Corine Block, Baby Girl Block; and her brother, Walter Block, Jr. Her beautiful life will be cherished in the lives of her children: faithful daughters, Joyce Taylor (Vincent), and Dorene Biagas (Martin); son, George Hayward III; sons through marriage, Emmitt Kennedy (Alisia), Vernon Kennedy (Elizabeth), and Edward Allen; granddaughters, Robin Demings (Gerald) and Dana Derby (Jason); grandson, Kerwin Reed; great-grandsons, Kingston Demings, Roman Demings and Willie Lavon Holmes II; great-granddaughter, Olivia Jade Derby; devoted friend, Catherine McGrue; and a host of other relatives and friends. The family would especially like to thank and acknowledge Marlene Harrow, who took excellent care of Jannie for four years until she entered hospice care and lived with her youngest daughter and husband until her death. Funeral services will be private due to the current pandemic.