Alma Ann Kennedy

Age 92, of St. Paul died peacefully with family at her side. She was the matriarch of a large family now missing her wit, laughter and love. Alma was born in 1932 at Mount Rose, Pa., to Lebanese parents who came to the U.S. through Ellis Island. Her family moved to St. Paul a few years after the Ku Klux Klan burned down her father’s corner store. A proud WestSider, she grew up with three siblings and graduated from Humboldt High School. She worked in her family’s candy store and often recalled driving away in her dad’s car without a driver’s license for daring, nighttime joy rides with friends. On a summer visit to Pennsylvania, she was with cousins at a bar in Wilkes-Barre when she met the love of her life, Joe Kennedy. They married after Joe fought in the Korean War. They raised their first-born, Libby, in an apartment on Concord Street while Joe attended St. Thomas College. They later settled in West St. Paul, next door to St. Michael’s Catholic Church and school. Alma and Joe had seven kids, born from 1956 to 1967. She was always surrounded by family and always enjoyed large family gatherings. She delighted in her 19 grandchildren and growing list of great grandchildren She worked as an early-childhood teacher's aide at St. Paul’s Riverside Elementary. Alma loved gardening, swimming at the YMCA, reading books and playing cards. She was a marvelous cook who drew her family close on Sundays with huge spaghetti dinners.  No one will ever surpass the excellence of Alma’s Lebanese meat pies. Alma lived every day with a broken heart after Joe died in 2020. She lived independently in their same apartment. Born to Paul and Almoz Abbott (Ziadi), she was preceded in death by her parents, brothers Joseph and Paul, sister Josephine Kiel of Stillwater, and half-sisters Isabel Albert of Wilkes-Barre and Ramze Pensworth of Laceyville, Pa. She leaves children Libby (Greg) Powers, Jean (Scott) Burris, Tony (Melissa Wandschneider), Kathleen (Mike) Hanson, Peggy (Joe) Mansur, Patrick (Gina), and Ann (Steve) Nordstrom. Grandchildren are John, Kate (Matt Puerkel) and Tom Powers; Alexandra (Burris) Quinn (husband Kevin), Emily Burris-Ellenbecker (husband John), Colin and Joseph Burris; Joe and Jack Kennedy; Michael Kennedy Hanson and Erin Hanson; Patrick, Teresa, Joseph Paul (wife Liz), Michael and Bill Mansur; Cal Kennedy; Sofie Marie and Kennedy Jane Nordstrom. Great-grandchildren are Olivia, Henry and Connell Quinn; Jack, Seamus and Albert Ellenbecker; Kennedy Ann Mansur and Anders Puerkel. Visitation 10 a.m. Saturday, July 12, at Holy Family Maronite Catholic Church, 1960 Lexington Ave. So, Mendota Heights. Mass at 11. Memorials preferred to Holy Family Maronite Church or Union Gospel Mission, St. Paul, Minn.