ARLINGTON, Mass. – Betty Kay Darnell Kennedy, 81, formerly of Kingsport, Tennessee died on Nov. 16, 2019, after a struggle with Alzheimer’s Disease. Her decline in health led to her recently moving to Arlington, Massachusetts, to be closer to her two sons and their families.

She was born on October 26, 1938, in Eidson, Tenn., and grew up in Kingsport, Tenn. In 1960, she married Douglas R. Kennedy, from Massachusetts, and joined him at his home in Edgecomb, Maine. They lived there for three years before moving to Nashville, Tenn. Around 10 years later, they resided briefly in St. Louis, Missouri, before returning to Edgecomb.

There, Betty worked for 34 years as secretary and 911 dispatcher for the Wiscasset Police Department, retiring in 2010. She was active in the Edgecomb Congregational Church, serving as its secretary. After retiring she returned to her hometown of Kingsport, Tenn., to be near her mother, her cousins, and childhood friends.

Betty was a quiet and gentle person who enjoyed gardening and spent many hours tending to her flowers and vegetables. She also liked arts and crafts, scrapbooking, watercolor painting, crossword puzzles, and reading.

She was predeceased by her husband, Douglas Richard Kennedy (2007), her mother, Callie Mae Carter Darnell (2018), her father, William Craft Darnell (1986), and her older brother, Tommy Carter Darnell (1948). She is survived by her two sons, Tom Kennedy and his wife, Dorothee, of Arlington, Mass., and Ted Kennedy and his wife, Lisa, of Derry, N.H., and her grandchildren, Alexander, Christina, Jasmine, and Acacia. She is also survived by her dear cousins, Nancy Carter and Vicki Carter of Kingsport, Tenn.

She will rest next to her husband Doug in the North Edgecomb Cemetery, with a memorial service to take place in the spring.

In lieu of flowers, a contribution may be made in her name to the

Alzheimer’s Association at:

https://act.alz.org/

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