Elta Marie Kennedy, the daughter of Winfield Scott and Martha Elizabeth (Rogers) Thompson, was born on December 8, 1919 near Esbon, Kansas. She passed away on July 29, 2010 at Asbury Place in Maryville, Tennessee at the age of 90 years, 7 months and 21 days.

     Elta was the youngest of seven children. Her early years were lived on farms near Esbon, Kansas. At age 10, Elta moved with her parents, sister and 2 brothers into Esbon where they operated a restaurant. She graduated from Esbon High School in 1937. She earned her nursing diploma from the Trinity Lutheran Hospital School of Nursing in Kansas City, Missouri in 1941; a bachelor of science degree in nursing in 1957 and a master of science degree in public health nursing administration in 1962 from the University of Colorado.

     As a member of the U.S. Army Nursing Corps between 1942-1945, Elta made more than 20 crossings of the North Atlantic on army hospital ships operating in the European Theater of Operations. Serving on the hospital ships Acadia and Seminole.

     She was united in marriage to James Edwin Kennedy on May 30, 1947 in Lebanon, Kansas. This union was blessed with 2 children. He died in an accident January 12, 1949 in Wichita, Kansas.

     She came to Wyoming in 1968 after developing a public health nursing program in Concordia, Kansas between 1957-1968. She earlier worked as a staff nurse and supervisor for the Lancaster County Health Department in Lincoln, Nebraska.

     Before her retirement on January 31, 1985 as head of nursing services section of the State Division of Health and Medical Services, a post she had held since August 1979. Prior to her appointment, she served more than 10 years as a consultant in the section’s home health services program. In 2006 she moved to Maryville, Tennessee where she resided until her death.

     She had over 60 years membership in the American Legion Post, Esbon, Kansas; Association of Retired Persons (AARP) and Anzio Beachhead Veterans of WWII.

     She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, James; five brothers and one sister and spouses Harold and Ina, Claud and Pearl, Leonard and Rosalie, Frank and Jaque, Leroy and Mabel, all Thompsons and Leta and Loren Silsby.

     She is survived by her daughter, Jill Halberg and husband Bob of Maryville, Tennessee and son, James Kennedy of Broomfield, Colorado; grandchildren, Erika Lankford and husband Terry, of Knoxville, Tennessee; Elisa Carr also of Knoxville, Tennessee and step-grandsons, Eric and David Halberg of Shreveport, Louisiana; and 3 great-grandchildren, Katelyn and Courtney Carr of Knoxville, Tennessee and Jayden Lankford of Knoxville, Tennessee; sisters-in-law, Gladys Kennedy (Kenneth) of Lebanon, Kansas and Julia Kennedy (Morris) of Pennsylvania; host of nieces, nephew, other relatives and friends.

Funeral services were held on Thursday, August 5, 2010 at 11:00 AM from the Esbon United Methodist Church in Esbon, Kansas with Rev. Laura Fricker officiating. Music was "My Buddy," and It Is No Secret What God Can Do," with Kathryn McCary as soloist and Wanda Thummel as organist.

Pallbearers were Kent Kennedy, Carl Kennedy, Ron Thompson, Jerry Thompson, Darrell Hanson and Newell Alexander.

Interment was in the Esbon Cemetery at Esbon, Kansas.

Condolences may be sent to Megrue-Price Funeral Home, PO Box 282, Superior, NE 68978 or in care of www.pricefuneralhomes.com

Megrue-Price Funeral Home of Superior, Nebraska was in charge of the arrangements.