SHOTTSVILLE, Ala. - Lela Estelle Hughes Kennedy passed away Thursday, June
19, 2008, at the Red Bay, Ala., Hospital. She was born December 13, 1921, to Marvin
and Fetney Anna Hughes on the family farm near Bexar, Alabama. She never lost her
love of the soil or her enthusiasm for planting and watching things grow.
Growing up on a farm she learned the value of hard work and importance of
friends and family.
On Aug. 20, 1944, she married Veto Lee Kennedy of Shottsville. While he served
in World War II, she joined the church he had attended all his life, Shottsville
United Methodist Church. She spent 64 years working tirelessly in the church she
loved. She was a founding member of Shottsville Church's Women's Society of
Christian Service, later to be called the United Methodist Women. She served
many times as a local and district officer. She also taught the young people's
Sunday School class for many years and served as counselor for the Methodist
Youth Fellowship. She directed the first Christmas pageant the church presented
in 1954, a tradition she continued for the next 15 years before "passing the
torch." She sang in the church choir until she was 85.
Her deep and abiding faith was evident to all who knew her because she truly
believed that we show our love for Christ more by how we live than by what we
say. Her life is her testimony.
She was a homemaker and mother and loved working in her home, in her garden and
in the fields. She worked only short periods of time through her working years
both at Munsingwear Inc., and Itawamba Manufacturing.
Services will be at 11 a.m. today, June 21, at the Shottsville United Methodist
Church with the Rev. Carl R. Long, the Rev. Steve Lawley, the Rev. Mac Buttram
and the Rev. David Parker officiating. Burial will follow in the Shottsville
Cemetery. Deaton Funeral Home of Red Bay is in charge of the arrangements.
She is survived by a daughter, LaVale Mills and her husband, Ruble, of
Shottsville, Ala.; two granddaughters, Michelle Lee Mills of Hamilton, Ala., and
Dawn Wilemon and her husband, Matthew, of Red Bay, Ala.; two
great-grandchildren, Anna Caroline Wilemon and Kennedy Lee Wilemon, both of Red
Bay, Ala.; one brother, Jimmy D. Hughes and his wife, Shirley Ann, of Hamilton,
Ala.; one nephew, Vincent Hughes and his wife, Marisa, of Haleyville, Ala.; a
great-niece, Sarah Hughes of Tuscaloosa, Ala.; two great-nephews, John Hughes
and Walker Hughes, both of Haleyville, Ala.; and a host of other family and
friends.
In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by a sister,
Mary Lee Crews; a nephew, James Lee Crews; and a number of other loved ones and
special friends.
Pallbearers will be Norman Emerson, Douglas Emerson, Don Betts, Mike Shotts, Don
Shotts and Mark Loden. Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Raynard Fabianke, Billy
Loden, Gene Kennedy, Gerald Betts, Richard Betts, Boyd Grimes, Hobert Shotts,
Billy Bolton and Brad Bolton.
Visitation will continue until service time today at Shottsville United
Methodist Church.
Memorials may be made to Shottsville United Methodist Church, the Salvation Army
or St. Jude's Hospital.
Deaton Funeral Home of Red
Bay directed the services.
