Deane Kennedy Hendrix

Opal “Deane” Kennedy Hendrix, age 78, resident of the Canaan Community, passed away on Friday, June 7, 2019, at Maury Regional Medical Center.

Deane was born on June 18, 1940, in Mt. Pleasant, Tennessee, to Jesse Irwin Kennedy and Geneva Holden Kennedy. She was married to Jimmy Hendrix for 58 years, until his passing on August 17, 2018. She was a graduate of Haylong High School.

Deane deeply loved the South, and was the “human encyclopedia of Maury County”, having a heart for her deep roots. Some of her proudest accomplishments was being honored as Mt. Pleasant’s Citizen of the Month and being selected as the 2017 Grand Marshall of the Mt. Pleasant Christmas Parade. Deane was actively involved in her community and was a part of the Mt. Pleasant Chamber of Commerce and Maury Alliance. She wore many hats in the community. Among her other accomplishments were working alongside Irene Dugger and Sara Tom McKennon to open the Phosphate Museum in Mt. Pleasant.

If you met Deane, she would have asked you where you lived. Your next experience would be to hear your ancestry and true stories about your community. She was known as the “original ancestry.com” and had people from all over the United States contact her for their ancestral information. She was the first tour director for Amon Carter and Denise Evans at Rattle and Snap, did research for the Rattle and Snap Album and performed re-enactments there. She also led tours through the Hamilton Place Mansion and St. John’s Church. Additionally, she was an accomplished author, having written books on Hunter Cemetery and the Kennedy family history with Sara Tom McKennon. She was employed by the Maury County Visitors Bureau until retiring in December of 2018 due to illness. She was a long-time member of the Locust Street Church of Christ.

Along with historian and author, she was an event planner and teacher. She helped organize the Veteran’s Honor Day in Mt. Pleasant and taught a 6-week course at Mt. Pleasant High School about Maury County History. Rounding out her community involvement, she was the editor of the Mt. Pleasant Record.

In addition to all these accolades and accomplishments, Deane was a loving wife and mother, caring for her husband until his passing. Deane is survived by her children: Nikki (Bruce) McKennon and Mitch (Sabrina) Hendrix: grandchildren, Logan Hendrix, Larkin (Daniel) Paul, Jerico (Helen) McKennon, Stacia (Justin) Buckner; great-grandson, Jesse McKennon; great-granddaughter, Lila Kate Paul; brothers: Jerry (Sissy) Kennedy of Mt. Pleasant and David Kennedy of Nashville; and sisters-in-law: Sharon Kennedy of Columbia, Linda (Jackie) Boshers, and Katherine (Dick) Lindsey of Mt. Pleasant. In addition to her parents she was preceded in death by her siblings; Freddie Arnold Kennedy and Shirley (Wimp) Colvett.

Funeral services for Deane Hendrix will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, June 10, 2019, in the Chapel of Williams Funeral Home in Mt. Pleasant with Dan King, Sr. and Terry Chatman officiating. Burial will follow at Arlington Cemetery. The family will visit with friends on Sunday, June 9 from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., also at the funeral home.

Richard Kennedy, Jason Boshers, Daniel Paul, Justin Buckner, Jerico McKennon, Logan Hendrix, Mark Hendrix, and Dennis Butler will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be Rick Gray, John Hatcher, Wayne Hall, Steve Kelley, Mark McCain, Morris Wayne Green Members of Locust Street Church of Christ, and employees of Maury County Visitors Bureau.