of Conway, AR

May 21, 1929 - September 10, 2016

CONWAY - Regina Diane ("Honey") Heath Kennedy, 87, joined her heavenly Father Sept. 10, 2016, in Conway, Arkansas. Diane was born May 21, 1929, in Little Rock, Arkansas to James Cornelious and Charlseye Fodrea Heath (Braun). She was reared by her mother and grandfather, William Loran Fodrea.

She graduated from Little Rock Central High School in 1947 and attended Arkansas State Teachers College (now UCA) for two years, majoring in Speech/Drama and Art. She was in many plays and wrote and acted in frequent daily sketches to entertain students. On April 28, 1950, Diane married the love of her life, David William Kennedy. At the time, she was enrolled in a Shakespearean acting school in California while working for Bank of America, and David was stationed in San Diego in the Navy. They moved back to Little Rock to care for her mother in 1958.

Diane became a long-term active member of Markham United Methodist Church, serving on numerous committees and programs. She was chair of the Pastor-Parish Relations Committee
in the 1960s and was a member of the Priscilla and Aquila Sunday school class. She also taught the high school Sunday school class for a number of years. In addition, she directed and taught
classes for the church kindergarten.

Active in her children's education, Diane was PTA president multiple times and a VIPS volunteer. She visited elementary schools as the Story Lady where she used her acting talents to enrich interest in reading by making the childrens' stories come alive. The children were so excited for story time that they would often poke their heads out of the classroom door to see if she was on her way.

After David's retirement, they moved to Conway and lived on Lake Beaverfork where they enjoyed adding to and updating their home. She was a do-it-yourself person and was always busy working with David on various projects. In particular, Diane loved growing flowers and plants to beautify everything around her.

Diane was a loving and deeply devoted wife for 62 years, a caring and generous mother and grandmother, raised four sons and a grandaughter, was dearly loved by many relatives, friends
and neighbors. She loved chocolate and divinity, was a voracious reader and always encouraged others around her to be the best they can be. Diane was the ultimate cheerleader for her family, enthusiastically supporting all their successes and failures alike. She was the consumate matriarch of the family and was most comfortable being at home with family, enjoying laughter and favorite stories, and kept her sense of humor to the end.

She was preceded in death by her mother, Charleyse, and grandfather, William Loran Fodrea, and her grandson Nicholas David Kennedy. Diane will be lovingly remembered by her family: Robert Loren Kennedy, Kyle Gregory Kennedy (Linda), Joel Edward Kennedy, and Jon David Kennedy (Kathryn), Katrisha Dawn Kennedy Baker (Clint), Krystal LaShay Kennedy, Kara Alexie Kennedy (Juan), Kyla Danielle Kennedy, Mary Kathryn Kennedy (Jake), and Jack William Kennedy; and two great-granddaughters, Isabelle and Julieana Osorio.

A memorial service to say goodbye to Diane will be held Wednesday, September 14, 2016, at 1 p.m. at Roller-Chenal Funeral Home, 13801 Chenal Parkway, Little Rock, Arkansas.

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