Thelma Jane Kennedy
December 31, 1915 — August 26, 2010
Thelma Jane Kennedy was born on December 31, 1915, on a farm near the town of Calvin, North Dakota to Samuel and Annie (McLean) Lewis. Thelma attended grade school in Byron, North Dakota but graduated from high school in Calvin, North Dakota in 1933. After graduation, she attended the State Teacher�s College at Valley City, North Dakota for two years and received her teaching certificate. Thelma began her teaching career after graduating from Drake University in 1964 with a bachelor�s degree in Education. She taught at a country school in Fairview Township for two years and then taught 4th grade in Shelby, Iowa for 24 years.
Thelma was married to Frederick T. Rohlfs on April 9, 1939 at the Presbyterian Church in Avoca, Iowa. Two boys were born to this union: Frederick G. and Edward. Frederick T. was in the military service and the family lived on several Army bases, spending a great deal of time at a base in Benning, Georgia. Frederick T. was ordained in the Avoca Presbyterian Church as an ordained minister. He was killed in a car accident near Afton, Iowa several years later. After his death, Thelma and the boys made their home in Avoca.
After her boys were grown, Thelma married Edward Kennedy from Avoca on June 29, 1962 in Fall City, Nebraska. She retired from teaching in 1980. At that time she continued to be very active in the church. Over the years she helped with Sunday School, served as co-superintendent of the Sunday School for several years and also helped with Bible School. She served one term on the church session, served as a deacon, was secretary for the Women�s UCW and served on the bazaar planning committee. She attended Bible study groups and served as a trail boss that kept the saddle bags going from member to member. She served as an usher, a greeter for worship, a committee member to appoint elders and deacons and took part in worship services when the minister was absent. She was a member of the John Calvin adult fellowship group, and Grand Worthy Matron of Eastern Star. She was a longtime member of the VFW Auxiliary and the Beta Lota Education Society and she worked many years helping with the bloodmobile.
Thelma remained in Avoca after Edward�s death in 1984. She moved to the Assisted Living Lodge in Avoca in 2007. Thelma died on August 26, 2010 at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan having attained the age of ninety-four years, seven months, and twenty-six days. She was preceded in death by her parents, both husbands, her son Edward, grandson Andrew Rohlfs, brother Austin Lewis and a sister Una Mae Henriksen.
She is survived by her son Frederick G. Rohlfs and his wife Carole of Jackson, Mississippi, step-daughter Marilyn Kuehn and her husband Bill of Clarinda, Iowa; grandchildren: Robert Rohlfs and his wife Christina of Liberty, Missouri, Mark Rohlfs and his wife Jennifer of Lawson, Missouri, Eric Rohlfs and his wife Trisha of Norfolk, Virginia, Kim Henggeler and her husband Martin of Barnard, Missouri, and Kirk Rohlfs and his wife Emily of Keokuk, Iowa; step-grandchildren: David Kuehn and his wife Kathy, Steven Kuehn, Cathryn Moore and her husband Randy, Linda Lynch and her husband Rick, Susan Moore and her husband Daryl, and Sandra Combs and her husband Mike; eleven great-grandchildren; eleven step-great-grandchildren; brothers Buell Lewis of Phoenix, Arizona, and George Lewis and his wife Shirley of Rocklake, North Dakota; daughter-in-law Joan Rohlfs of Toquerville, Utah; brother-in-law Edward Rohlfs of Omaha, Nebraska, many other relatives and friends.
Pastor David Krueger officiated the 12:00 P.M. funeral service on Monday, August 30, 2010 at United Church of Avoca in Avoca, Iowa. Interment was held at Graceland Cemetery in Avoca, Iowa with Robert Rohlfs, Mark Rohlfs, Kirk Rohlfs, Martin Henggeler, Omar Trout, and Larry Westerbuhr serving as casket bearers
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Thelma was married to Frederick T. Rohlfs on April 9, 1939 at the Presbyterian Church in Avoca, Iowa. Two boys were born to this union: Frederick G. and Edward. Frederick T. was in the military service and the family lived on several Army bases, spending a great deal of time at a base in Benning, Georgia. Frederick T. was ordained in the Avoca Presbyterian Church as an ordained minister. He was killed in a car accident near Afton, Iowa several years later. After his death, Thelma and the boys made their home in Avoca.
After her boys were grown, Thelma married Edward Kennedy from Avoca on June 29, 1962 in Fall City, Nebraska. She retired from teaching in 1980. At that time she continued to be very active in the church. Over the years she helped with Sunday School, served as co-superintendent of the Sunday School for several years and also helped with Bible School. She served one term on the church session, served as a deacon, was secretary for the Women�s UCW and served on the bazaar planning committee. She attended Bible study groups and served as a trail boss that kept the saddle bags going from member to member. She served as an usher, a greeter for worship, a committee member to appoint elders and deacons and took part in worship services when the minister was absent. She was a member of the John Calvin adult fellowship group, and Grand Worthy Matron of Eastern Star. She was a longtime member of the VFW Auxiliary and the Beta Lota Education Society and she worked many years helping with the bloodmobile.
Thelma remained in Avoca after Edward�s death in 1984. She moved to the Assisted Living Lodge in Avoca in 2007. Thelma died on August 26, 2010 at Myrtue Medical Center in Harlan having attained the age of ninety-four years, seven months, and twenty-six days. She was preceded in death by her parents, both husbands, her son Edward, grandson Andrew Rohlfs, brother Austin Lewis and a sister Una Mae Henriksen.
She is survived by her son Frederick G. Rohlfs and his wife Carole of Jackson, Mississippi, step-daughter Marilyn Kuehn and her husband Bill of Clarinda, Iowa; grandchildren: Robert Rohlfs and his wife Christina of Liberty, Missouri, Mark Rohlfs and his wife Jennifer of Lawson, Missouri, Eric Rohlfs and his wife Trisha of Norfolk, Virginia, Kim Henggeler and her husband Martin of Barnard, Missouri, and Kirk Rohlfs and his wife Emily of Keokuk, Iowa; step-grandchildren: David Kuehn and his wife Kathy, Steven Kuehn, Cathryn Moore and her husband Randy, Linda Lynch and her husband Rick, Susan Moore and her husband Daryl, and Sandra Combs and her husband Mike; eleven great-grandchildren; eleven step-great-grandchildren; brothers Buell Lewis of Phoenix, Arizona, and George Lewis and his wife Shirley of Rocklake, North Dakota; daughter-in-law Joan Rohlfs of Toquerville, Utah; brother-in-law Edward Rohlfs of Omaha, Nebraska, many other relatives and friends.
Pastor David Krueger officiated the 12:00 P.M. funeral service on Monday, August 30, 2010 at United Church of Avoca in Avoca, Iowa. Interment was held at Graceland Cemetery in Avoca, Iowa with Robert Rohlfs, Mark Rohlfs, Kirk Rohlfs, Martin Henggeler, Omar Trout, and Larry Westerbuhr serving as casket bearers
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