Joyce Kennamer

Obituaries

Tuesday, 25 January 2022 07:36

Joyce Dean Kirkland Kennamer, 88, passed away on Thursday, January 13, 2022. Funeral services were held on Saturday, January 15, 2022 at Grant Memorial Chapel with burial following in Union Cemetery.
She was born on Wednesday, March 1, 1933 in Grant, one of nine children, to John and Dora Kirkland. After graduation from DAR, she received her B.S in education at Athens State and her M.S. at Alabama A&M. She taught science, biology and chemistry to hundreds of students at Woodville High during her 31 years of active teaching. Her love for students was readily apparent with her engaging and thought-provoking teaching style. In the decades that followed her career, it was commonplace for family members to have her past students ask about her and remark how they loved her and the impact she had upon their lives.
During her teaching years, she worked tirelessly, supporting school, athletic and civic activities. Her drive to help others continued in her retirement years as she worked persistently at places like the Bob Jones Community Center to document and improve sites located in Woodville.
While her siblings know her as Joyce Dean, and her students as Mrs. Kennamer, so many friends and family affectionately called her granny and look forward to seeing her again after this life.
In May of 1952, she married her childhood sweetheart, Denton Kennamer. They had two sons, Johnny Kennamer and Steve Kennamer; six grandchildren, Adam (April) Kennamer, Melanie (Roger) Allen, Chris (Jennifer) Kennamer, Valerie (Chris) Daly, Stephanie (Heath) Stapler, Janice (Kevin) Willis; great-grandchildren, Ava Kennamer, Chloe Allen, Colby Allen, Denton Kennamer, Clayton Kennamer, Levi Howse, Easton Howse, Phoenix League, Trinity League, Zaiden Daly, Willow Daly; J.W. Kirkland, Sam (Margaret Ann) Kirkland. She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Gordon Kirkland, Porter Kirkland, Jack Kirkland; sisters, Ruby Lonas, Pauline Wagle, Sue Tredwell.