Eugenia (Jeannie) Turner Kennedy, 99, of Yulee,Florida, passed away peacefully in Fernandina Beach on March 24, 2024, surrounded by her loving family. She lived her life with an abiding grace, faith, and concern for others. She will be forever remembered as a loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and great-great grandmother who embodied wisdom and kindness.
Cecil Eugenia Turner was born in Moultrie, Georgia on June 16, 1924,to Isaac McDaniel Turner and Jesse Francis Nelson. She grew up in southern Georgia with three sisters, Jewel, Juanita, Willie Mae and one brother, Turk. As a young lady, she moved to Atlanta Georgia for work with the phone company. There she met the love of her life, Herbert Quincy Kennedy, and the two were soon married. They had three sons, Eliot, Dennis, and Patrick.
The family later moved to Jacksonville, Florida, where they raised their sons. They had a cattle ranch and farm in Jacksonville and Eugenia cooked meals for everyone who worked on the properties, friends and family alike. It was here that stories of her legendary cooking started; it probably started with the cornbread – “not the blue box, Baby,” as she would say to her grandkids. She also worked at the A&P grocery store as a cashier and was a member of the American Businesswoman’s Association. The family later bought a ranch in Douglas, Georgia, and continued raising cattle there.
In addition to raising her own children, she helped to raise the generations that followed, and was a positive influence in all of their lives with her wit and wisdom. Everyone who knew Mrs. Kennedy or “Grandma” could count on her for a kind word, free advice and moral support. She enjoyed working in her gardens over the years in Florida and Georgia, and she was an avid reader. She especially enjoyed the company of her family and friends and would always light up a room with her infectious smile. She will be remembered by all who knew her for her unyielding faith, quiet strength of spirit, and her grace. She had unending patience and was loved by all she met. She was humble, compassionate, kind, and selfless her whole life. She will be dearly missed.
In addition to her parents and all her siblings, Mrs. Kennedy was predeceased by her husband of 52 years, and her granddaughter Ryann, and her great-grandson Kit. She is survived by her three sons; Eliot Kennedy and his wife Denise, Dennis Kennedy and his wife Lori, and Patrick Kennedy and his wife Kim, as well as seven grandchildren; Shannon, Christina, Dennis, Matthew, Cody, Colt and Cabe, and fourteen great-grandchildren; Austin, Noah, Kaitlyn, Audrey, Allison, Jon, Landon, Serena, Jude, Jackson, Bradley, Dylan, Lila, Amelia, Weston, Ryland, Dalton, Hayden and two great-great grandchildren; Oakley and Jack, as well as a large extended family.
The family will receive friends at Oxley-Heard Funeral Directors on Saturday, April 6 at 1:00 P.M. Services and a celebration of life will follow at 2:00 P.M. in the chapel.