BIG EARLY TURNOUT – Poll workers Cheryl Vastola and Irene Ferguson, at left, help early voters cast their ballots this afternoon at Harrigan Centennial Hall. Turnout has been heavy today on the final early voting day before the national election. Close to 1,600 people have cast early ballots so far in Sitka. (Sentinel Photo by James Poulson)

Voting Brisk in Sitka on U.S. Election Eve
04 Nov 2024 15:50

By Sentinel Staff
Scores of Sitkans cast ballots at Harrigan Centennial Hall today, the last day for  [ ... ]

Bear Shot at Academy, Others Prowl in Sitka
04 Nov 2024 15:48

By Sentinel Staff
A brown bear that reportedly showed aggressive behavior and “continued lack of fe [ ... ]

Salty Spokes Keeps Wheels Spinning in Sitka
04 Nov 2024 15:46

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
    Though days are growing short, programming for bike ri [ ... ]

WhaleFest Run Draws Crowd
04 Nov 2024 15:42

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
    In the annual WhaleFest race Saturday from Whale Park [ ... ]

City League Basketball Sunday
04 Nov 2024 15:39

By Sentinel Staff
    In recreational division City League basketball Sunday, Forrester and Grenie [ ... ]

Seward Gets EPA Grant To Power Cruise Ships
04 Nov 2024 15:38

By YERETH ROSEN
Alaska Beacon
    The Port of Seward, which serves a coastal Kenai Peninsula town t [ ... ]

State Plow Driver Arrested On Drunk Driving Charge
04 Nov 2024 15:37

By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
    Prosecutors in Fairbanks have charged an Alaska Department of Tra [ ... ]

November 4, 2024, Police Blotter
04 Nov 2024 15:31

Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
November 1
Parts were reported stolen from  [ ... ]

November 4, 2024, Community Happenings
04 Nov 2024 15:28

Donald Soukup
Dies at Age 85
Donald R. Soukup, 85, passed away Nov. 1 at Sitka Long Term Care.
An obi [ ... ]

Child Care Called Key to City's Health
01 Nov 2024 14:20

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
    In the second program in a series on Sitka’s child c [ ... ]

State: Hospitalizations Tab Hit $5.78B in '23
01 Nov 2024 14:19

By YERETH ROSEN
Alaskan Beacon
    Alaskans were charged about $5.78 billion for hospital stays in  [ ... ]

2 Troopers Charged With Assault During an Arrest
01 Nov 2024 14:17

By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
    A grand jury in Kenai has indicted Alaska state troopers Joseph M [ ... ]

November 1, 2024, Community Happenings
01 Nov 2024 14:11

SCT Presents
Live Radio Play
Nov. 8 at PAC
GSAC Sitka Community Theater will present “Radio Adventure [ ... ]

November 1, 2024, Police Blotter
01 Nov 2024 14:04

Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
October 31
An officer told people  shootin [ ... ]

Sitka Hunter Killed By Bear at Nakwasina
31 Oct 2024 15:22

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
A search for a hunter missing since Tuesday ended around mid [ ... ]

The Complete WhaleFest: Details of 3-Day Event
31 Oct 2024 15:21

By Sentinel Staff Sitka WhaleFest has scheduled a series of seminars and events, including a fun ru [ ... ]

Sitka Wrestles with Southeast Teams in Juneau
31 Oct 2024 15:19

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Sports Editor
    In their first wrestling meet of the year at the Sout [ ... ]

Master's City League Basketball
31 Oct 2024 15:14

By Sentinel Staff
    In a master’s division City League basketball game Wednesday evening, Harr [ ... ]

Split Vote a Worry For GOP in House District
31 Oct 2024 15:11

By JAMES BROOKS
Alaska Beacon
    Ahead of next week’s general election, the Alaska Republican Pa [ ... ]

October 31, 2024, Police Blotter
31 Oct 2024 13:25

Police Blotter
Sitka police received the following calls by 8 a.m. today:
October 30
At 10:05 a.m. a fa [ ... ]

October 31, 2024, Community Happenings
31 Oct 2024 13:16

Benefit Fry Bread
Sale Saturday
A fundraiser for the Moreno family will be held 11 a.m. -2 p.m. Saturd [ ... ]

Swim Programs Return with New Supervisor
30 Oct 2024 15:13

By SHANNON HAUGLAND
Sentinel Staff Writer
With the hiring of an aquatics supervisor, the city Parks an [ ... ]

Search Underway for Overdue Hunter
30 Oct 2024 14:42

By Sentinel Staff
A search was under way today for a Sitka man overdue on a half-day hunting trip Tue [ ... ]

Artists Make Ceramic Mosaics for UAS Sitka
30 Oct 2024 13:06

By GARLAND KENNEDY
Sentinel Staff Writer
    After months of working to shape ceramic and glass pie [ ... ]

Other Articles

Daily Sitka Sentinel

Geraldine Kennedy, 96, Dies at Her Sitka Home

Geraldine (Geri) Isabelle Kennedy

Geraldine (Geri) Isabelle Kennedy, 96, died at her Sitka home of age-related causes on May 15, 2020.

She was born at home, in Wrangell, on December 24, 1923, to Nettie (Carrasco) and Paul Young Jones. Vital Statistics says Dec. 21, but her family all swear by Dec. 24.  She was the fifth of seven kids – her siblings were Harold, Pauline, Irene, Ernestine (Babe), Frank and Maxine.

Geri’s primary school years were spent in various boarding schools in Southeast Alaska, always with a sibling or two.  She graduated in Ketchikan in 1941, then attended one year of school at Haskell Institute in Lawrence, Kansas.

After World War II, she married William (Bill) Kennedy, also of Ketchikan, on June 15, 1946, at St. Elizabeth’s Episcopal Church on Woodland Avenue.

Geri worked retail jobs, child care for various friends and relatives, and at Fidalgo Cannery for many summers through the 1970s. 

She was not a member of any local clubs or organizations, but she did re-discover her Native culture in the early 1980s. She learned every craft that offered a class; NW Coast basketry, carving, design (formline), engraving, weaving, and regalia-making. Her basketry skills were very appreciated by many, for many years. Liked and loved by just about anyone she met throughout her life, she always had a smile to share, and was good with a surprise occasional one-liner when dealing with life’s challenges

Geri was preceded in death by all of her immediate family, parents and siblings, her husband William (in 1995), and her son Billy (in 1962).

She is survived by her three daughters and one son; Joanna Hendricks (William Kendricks) of Ketchikan, Arlene Kennedy of Sitka, Susan LaFray David LaFray) of Boise, Idaho, and Rob Kennedy (Ann Ludeman Kennedy) of Port Orchard, Washington.

Numerous grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren, as well as nieces and nephews, and many others who knew her affectionately as “Aunty Geri” also survive.

 

No funeral or memorial services are scheduled at this time. Memorial plans for Ketchikan and Seattle will be announced when made.

Login Form

 

20 YEARS AGO

November 2004

Sitka Tribe of Alaska is having a Traditional Foods Contest. Categories for dishes include best use of herring eggs, best dried seaweed, best half-dried salmon, best contemporary dish using traditional ingredients and most authentic traditional dish. Call Jessica Perkins with questions.

50 YEARS AGO

November 1974

Classified ads, Personal: Tickets of Red aren’t a disgrace, a waitress will get them when she parks out of place. Ratfink.

Calendar

Local Events

Instagram

Daily Sitka Sentinel on Instagram!

Facebook

Daily Sitka Sentinel on Facebook!