Cheryl L. Kennedy

Cheryl L. Kennedy, beloved wife, mother, and Oona, graduated to her heavenly home on Saturday, November 29th, 2025 at The Waters in Wakarusa after a valiant battle with Alzheimer’s.

Cheryl was born August 23, 1952 in Goshen, Indiana to the late Willard and Dorothea Stutzman.

On August 18, 1973 Cheryl married the love of her life, Mike Kennedy, at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, Goshen by Reverend Jay Morris. They were blessed with 53 years of marriage.

Cheryl was a lifelong reader and could usually be found with a stack of books at her side and one in her hand. She loved a good puzzle, crossword, or yelling out an answer to Wheel of Fortune or Jeopardy over the paper she was reading at the time, before anyone else could answer. She also loved college football and camping with lifelong friends that she made on many of her Walk to Emmaus Women’s Retreats. Much of the time, you could hear her humming or singing her favorite hymn “On Eagle’s Wings.” When she wasn’t reading, she was wearing her Oona hat and was an avid supporter of her grandkids sports, music, activities or on any of their adventures.

Cheryl held many meaningful positions in her life but found her true calling as a school librarian for Model Elementary School for 25 years. She championed the importance of teaching children the love of reading and was well known for her read-alouds in the Model library where she sat on the floor with the kids and read to them. In the summer when school was out, she worked for Goshen Public Library in the Children’s Department to further her mission of sharing the love of reading. She was passionate about making sure children were not only read to but also received a hug on their way back to their classrooms. To be read to by Mrs. Kennedy was to be loved by her. Her final read-aloud before retirement in 2018 included the entire school, much to her astonishment.

The one thing she loved more than her books was her family. She is survived by her devoted husband Mike, along with two daughters, Courtney Nave (Pam) and Kate Kennedy (Jena), five grandchildren, Chad Kennedy, Parker Nave, Kaia Kennedy, twins John Nave and Charlotte Nave. Bonus mom Candy Stutzman, brother Brian Stutzman (Vicki), sister Lori Miller, sister-in-law Gayle Burns, and nephews, Cory Stutzman, Marshall Stutzman, Tanner Miller, Taylor Miller and Tydis Miller.

A special thank you to Goshen Hospice and The Waters of Wakarusa for the many hours of love and care that were given to Cheryl in her final year of life and the support given to Mike along this journey.

Per her wishes, a private family service will take place and her ashes will be interred in the spring. If you knew Cheryl, you know that she would not want you to gather to mourn, but to pick up a book either for yourself, or one to share with someone else. In that light, donations can be directed to Goshen Public Library’s Summer Book Giveaway Program.

Her family takes comfort in a quote by Jorge Luis Borges - “ I have always imagined that paradise will be a kind of library...”

If you wish, please leave a message of condolence in the guestbook.