Inabelle Kennedy

InaBelle Kennedy passed away on September 2, 2017, in Bellingham, WA. She was born to Don and Amy Irwin, on October 4, 1920, in Basin, WY. In 1934, InaBelle and her parents and siblings, Stella and Donny, moved to Palmer, AK, where her father became the first Superintendent of the Alaska Rural Rehabilitation Corporation—a position appointed by President Franklin Roosevelt. “Iny,” grew up with all things traditional to American rural life at that time, including riding a horse to a one-room school house, where she graduated in 1938. InaBelle attended the University of Alaska in Fairbanks, AK, for her first year of college and then transferred to Hastings College in Hastings, NE. She graduated in 1942, studying Education and Music. She taught elementary school in Anchorage where she and her husband raised four daughters.
InaBelle met John Boss, of Chicago, IL, during the war; he was stationed at Fort Richardson, AK, and the two were married in Reno, Nevada in 1945. John built their home in Anchorage. Years later, he built their summer cabin on Rocky Lake with the help of family friends. John succumbed to lung cancer in 1971 after retiring from Totem Realty, a brokerage he founded with two friends—but not before meeting his pride and joy in “Little John,” his first grandchild.
In 1973, InaBelle was introduced to Gordon D. Kennedy, who had spent his teen years in Oak Harbor, WA. In 1974, the couple married and moved from Anchorage, AK, to Bellingham, WA. InaBelle and Gordon traveled extensively to places like China, Israel, Austria, New Zealand, Ireland, and the Panama Canal to name a few. The two loved traveling by RV as well, and became annual snowbirds with friends from church.
InaBelle was a devout Christian, and belonged to a nursing home ministry for 25 years. She had been a member of the First Presbyterian Church in Anchorage, AK, The Alaska Pioneers and was a member of Immanuel Bible Church in Bellingham, WA. She was also a member of the Sweet Adelines and an award-winning poet. She sang in her church choir and played piano at Senior Citizen Center gatherings. InaBelle is preceded in death by her parents, Don and Amy Irwin, her first husband, John Boss, her second husband, Gordon Kennedy and her two siblings, Stella Odsather and Donald Irwin.
InaBelle is survived by four daughters, five grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and a daughter by marriage along with the latter’s children and grandchildren as follows: daughter Anita Griffith of Bellingham, WA (granddaughter Melissa/husband Chris Petrick with great-grandchildren, Julia and Kara Petrick of Tigard, OR, and grandson Mike Jorgenson/wife Cristina with great-grandchildren Luke and Maya Jorgenson of Bellingham, WA); daughter Peggy Boss of Edmonds, WA (grandson John Betzsold/wife Kim, with great-grandchildren Nicholas/wife Leilani, Zachary/wife Angie, Joshua and Riley Betzsold of Richland, WA); daughter Denise Boss of Bellingham, WA (grandsons Christopher and Douglas Battershill of Bellingham, WA) and daughter Judith Boss of Bellingham, WA; step-daughter Bonnie Willman of Eagan, MN (granddaughter Sherri Montgomery/husband Paul and great-grandchildren Anthony, Nicholas and Grace of New Prague, MN; granddaughter Kristi Ordorff/husband Troy and great-grandchildren Dylan, Branden and Faith from Lakeville, MN; and grandson David Willman/wife Wendy and great-grandchildren Samantha and Thomas of Rosemount, MN.)
InaBelle loved music and sang hymns of praise nearly every day of her life until her passing just one month before her 97th birthday. The desire of her heart was for all to know the Love and Peace of Christ the Lord and the Joy of heaven, where the Song of Salvation never ends. She will be cherished for her bright and reassuring smile, her wonderful sense of humor and her cheerful, joyful heart that brought hope and inspiration to us all.
InaBelle’s Celebration of Life will be held at Westford Funeral Home, Bellingham, WA, on Saturday, October 28th, at 1pm. She will be laid to rest at Angelus Memorial Park Cemetery in Anchorage, AK, beside her first husband, John Boss. You may share memories with the family at www.westfordfuneralhome.com .
“I AM the Resurrection and the Life,” says the Lord. “He that believes in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live…” -Jn. 11:25.