Ethel Mae Kennedy, ca. 2010.
Ethel Mae Kennedy was born December 7, 1920 in Bessemer, Alabama. She was married to the late Rev. Earl Kennedy for 51 years and twenty-three days before his death. Rev. Kennedy was pastor of St. Luke C.M.E. Church from 1974 to 1989. She has one sister still living in Rockford, Illinois, four nieces and five nephews.
Ethel received her education in Bessemer, Alabama. After leaving Alabama, she moved to Chicago, Illinois where she lived for 20 years. Later, she moved to Rockford, Illinois and remained there for 8 years. After leaving Rockford, she moved to Kinloch, Missouri and stayed there for 3 years. In 1974 she moved to Champaign, IL and united with St. Luke C. M. E. Church. She has 2 sisters, 4 nephews and 5 nieces, 2 great-nieces and 7 great-nephews.
Mrs. Kennedy has been recognized by the Lake of the Woods Early American Museum, Women's Missionary Council of Christian Methodist Episcopal Church of Jackson, Florida, the Ministerial Alliance of Urbana-Champaign and many others.
Mrs. Kennedy loves attending prayer service, Bible study and supporting all church programs. She is a member of Church Women United of Champaign-Urbana. At the C. M. E. Annual Conference Level, she is a member of the Southeast Missouri, Illinois and Wisconsin Conference of Missionaries and the Ministers' Wives and Spouses' Alliance. At St. Luke C. M. E. Church she is a member of the Missionary and Stewardess Board of Women's Fellowship. She has belonged to the C.M.E. Ministers' Wives and Spouses Alliance of the Chicago District and to the Southeast Missouri, Illinois and Wisconsin Wives and Spouses Alliance. She also belongs to the Champaign-Urbana Ministers' wives alliance. Mrs. Kennedy belongs to the St. Luke Missionary Society and to the Steward Board and loves prayer meeting and Bible Study.
When active she enjoys horseback riding, bicycling, gardening, sewing, knitting, crocheting, bowling and macrame. Her Words of Wisdom are: "Do unto others as you would have them to do unto you."
Her favorite Biblical Character is Paul, the greatest missionary.
Her favorite Scripture is Proverb 31: 1 0, "Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies."
