KILGOROUND
LINDA BALLARD

"Oh,

yes," she laughed. "I have lived in the same house and slept in the same bed for 57 years. Not many people are able to say the same thing. We started building the house in April and it not until August when James completed his coaching school did we get to move into it," said Yvonne Kennedy.

"The house was built out of solid wood - not pressed wood," she added. "And for the first time in 57 years, I had to have some repair work done to the roof because of damage done from the recent hail storm.

"We raised three children in this house and when James and I got to the point we thought about buying a larger home, they threw a fit. This was the only home they knew.

"I was raised in the country by Naimo and Otis Bennett. I was a twin and we lived at Church Hill, a country community East of Henderson. Daddy was originally from Oak

Hill and wound up in Church Hill.

"James and I met while I was teaching school at Leverett's Chapel. He was the playground teacher at Eastview. Nina Fern Nichols introduced us. We met in February and married in June. I always teased him about wanting a place to grow up in and someone to take care of him. We had a wonderful life.

"Our children, Dwight graduated in 1972, Mike graduated in 1974 and D'Anne graduated in 80. We always said when we got our children through the thirteen years of college (parents who have put their children through college understand this), we would retire. D'Anne graduated on a Saturday afternoon and the following Monday morning James put in his retirement. I worked one more year and retired in 1987. I wasn't going to let him have all of the fun of retirement," she said.

Yvonne taught music and elementary grades first, fifth and second. Three years were in Leverett's Chapel and the rest in Kilgore for a total of thirty-three years.

In 1961, Yvonne helped organize the Alpha Delta Kappa Sorority for teachers which continue to keep her involved with the teaching field.

Today, at age 78, Yvonne leads an active life. She loves to swim at Parks Fitness Center and does aerobic exercise to stay healthy. Three afternoons a week she tutors a young Hispanic boy reading and spelling and is doing so by teaching him phonics. "As with my own grandchildren, I will always teach phonics and I want this young man prepared for school next year," she said.

A member of St. Luke's United Methodist Church since 1952, she has sung in the choir since 1957, with her passion being that of her late husband, making sure the flower beds outside her home and her church are well tended. "Those red geraniums at St. Luke's are replaced from ones at my home," she said. "And yes, they must be red."

Yvonne Kennedy's appointment book stays full, and like her geraniums, her life has fully blossomed and she's surrounded by beauty. "It's been a wonderful life," she said. Not everyone can say the same.

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Don't forget the film festival tonight at 4 Star. The reception begins at 6:30 and the movie starts at 7:30.

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Blowing out the birthday candles today are Gary Wayne Petty, Shelia B. Smith, Brenda Geter, Knox Pruett Jr., Kenya Sanders, Charlotte Austin, Barbara Hassell, Denise Kinsey, Ken Randles, Mrs. Charles Earl Colvin, Terry Regan. Also celebrating the big day is KNH's Krystal Nail.