Joyce Kennamer

Obituaries

Tuesday, 04 April 2023 11:59

Joyce Money Kennamer, 91 of Scottsboro, passed away on Wednesday, March 29, 2023 at Huntsville Hospital. Funeral services were held on Sunday, April 2, 2023 at Scottsboro First United Methodist Church with interment following in Cedar Hill Cemetery.

She was born at the family home at the intersection of Kyle Street and Money Lane on Sunday, February 22, 1931 to Judge James and Martha Money, as the youngest of nine Money children. She attended public schools in Scottsboro and was a graduate of Jackson County High. Choosing to ignore family precedent, as all her siblings attended the University of Alabama, she enrolled in what is now the University of North Alabama, where she met and married the live of her life, Alfred Kennamer. They were married on December 17, 1950 in Scottsboro, shortly before he reported for duty in the Korean War. She would joke that they spent their honeymoon in Florence, Alabama taking semester exams.

Mrs. Kennamer began work as a teacher, serving a year in the Scottsboro school system, teaching first grade. The remainder of her career she spent working in the Jackson County school system, teaching at Deans Chapel, Macedonia, Hollywood, Temperance Hill and finally for many years at Skyline. She was awarded the Jackson County Teacher of the Year award and twice was nominated as State Teacher of the Year. Her former students number in the thousands.

She was devoted to her family, both close and extended, and she was proud of her children, Stephen, Ernie and Jule; her grandchildren, Georgia, Molly, Jamie, Morgan, Skyler, Ben, Chris and Billy; as well as her great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, great-nieces and nephews and cousins – of which there are too many to name.

Mrs. Kennamer was involved in many activities and organizations in her lifetime. She was a founding member of the Scottsboro Woman’s League and active member of Scottsboro’s First United Methodist Church where she served on the church council as a trustee, a member of the choir and as Record Trustee for the church’s Charge Conference. She was very active in the United Methodist Women’s Organization and the church’s small group and food pantry ministry. She was also a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), serving as a regent and in other capacities and the AAUQ. She was and remained an unapologetic New Deal Democrat, often joking she was more busier after she retired than while working. She was a longtime member and chairman of the Scottsboro Library Board and longtime member and chairman of the Scottsboro – Jackson County Heritage Center.

She is survived by her children, Stephen Kennamer, Ernie (Gretchen) Kennamer, Julie (Jimmy) Burks; grandchildren, Georgia Boles, Molly Kennamer, Jamie (Justin) Stisher, Morgan (Greg) Yund, Skyler Kennamer, Ben Burks, Chris Burks, Bill (Leslie) Messer; great-grandchildren, Zanna Boles, George Boles, Jocelyn Boles, Jude Yund, Dakota Yund, Ryder Burks, Harper Stisher, Alexis Burks; a host of other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband; parents; siblings, Edith Money, Stella (Horace) Henshaw, James (Alethia) Money, Joe (Helen) Money, Mary Lou (Joe) Weaver, Clyde (Sybil) Money, Lloyd (Ilene) Money, Evelyn Smith; daughter-in-law, Ann Kennamer; great-grandson, Kinsey Burks.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Scottsboro – Jackson County Heritage Center, Scottsboro Public Library, Scottsboro First United Methodist Church or the Skyline School Kennamer Scholarship at Skyline School.