Elizabeth Harlan (1922-2012)

Elizabeth Harlan was born on 18 March 1922 in Pennsylvania and died on 4 March 2012 in Delaware. She married Robert Eugene Kennedy on 23 December 1943 in Baltimore, Maryland.

Obituary [Spicer-Mullikin Funeral Home]
Mrs. Elizabeth Harlan Kennedy (Betty) passed away on Sunday, March 4, 2012. She missed her 90th birthday by two weeks.
Born in Upper Darby, PA, on March 18, 1922, the daughter of Ruth Kimball Harlan and Joseph Marshall Harlan, Betty knew from an early age she wanted to be a nurse. She graduated from the University of Maryland in 1943. Because of war-time circumstances, she was married on December 23, 1943 to Robert Eugene Kennedy in Baltimore, MD, and they left immediately for California. When he was deployed to Germany, she returned to Catonsville, MD, to live with her parents. When Bob returned in March 1946, they lived in veteran housing while he completed college, majoring in Animal Husbandry. They began their married life by living on four different farms in the next four years: Arcola, VA, Frostburg, MD, Winterthur, DE, and Middletown, DE.
Deciding to save money for their own farm, they moved to Elsmere, DE, where Bob began a lifelong career at White Bros. Supply Company and Betty went to work at Delaware Hospital in the emergency room, night shift. After 6 years, Betty moved to a job in the office of Dr. Jack Sallee. By this time, Betty and Bob had moved to Collins Park. She worked there for several years and then returned to Delaware Hospital, working on Five South. From there she transferred to Family Practice, part of what is now known as Christiana Care. During this time she and Bob moved to the only farm they would own, 3 1/2 acres in Landenberg, PA. Bob passed away in April 1979.
When she left that office, she worked for Drs. Malleus and Schmitt in their family practice. She finally retired in 1996, but continued her nurturing ways by being a parish nurse at Hanover Presbyterian Church, where she and Bob had been members since 1947. Many members of Hanover and the community at large will remember Betty for the care and compassion she showed when they were in need.
She is survived by her daughters, Betty Jeanne Kennedy (Bill Grimes) and Nancy Kennedy Witkowski (Patrick); brother, Marshall Harlan (Betsy); sister-in-law, Jeanne Lehrman (Mel); nephews and nieces, James Harlan (Carole), Jude Harlan Quinn (Matthew), Fred Plummer (Ginny), Marsha Spencer-Famous (Norman), David Plummer (Tina), and Suzanne Renalds (Mark); her beloved grandsons, John Robert Bonislawski and Michael Matthew Bonislawski; and her precious great granddaughter, Asia Madric. She was predeceased by her parents, Joseph Marshall Harlan and Ruth Kimball Harlan; her sister and brother-in-law, Ruth Harlan Plummer and Frank Plummer; her sister-in-law, Elizabeth L. Kennedy; her in-laws, Alice Ann Kennedy and Robert E. Kennedy, Sr.; and her beloved grandson, Francis Jon Bonislawski, Jr.
The family would like to thank the staff of Foulk Manor North and Vitas Hospice for their caring and kindness.
A funeral service will be held at 11 am on Friday, March 9, 2012, at the Spicer-Mullikin Funeral Home, 1000 N. DuPont Parkway, New Castle, DE, where visitation will begin at 10 am. Interment will be held privately.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 92 Read S Way, Ste. 205, New Castle, DE 19720 (mark donations for Relay for Life - Wilmington).

PARENTS
Joseph Marshall Harlan
Ida Ruth Kimball

SPOUSE
Robert Eugene Kennedy

CHILDREN
Betty Jeanne Kennedy
Nancy Kennedy

SOURCES

• 1930 census, Margate City, Atlantic, New Jersey

• 1940 census, Catonsville, Election District 1, Baltimore, Maryland