Mrs. Marion H. Kennedy, 74, of Fayetteville, passed away Thursday, Dec. 18, 2008. A longtime Fayetteville resident, she was born in Camden, N.J., on June 13, 1934. Marion was the daughter of Frank and Marion Hoover and was preceded in death by her husband, John L. Kennedy. Marion was a graduate of the Woman's Medical College Hospital, School of Nursing in Philadelphia, where she earned a three-year nursing degree. She completed post-graduate studies at UNC-Chapel Hill. As a nurse, she worked for Highsmith Rainey Specialty Hospital and Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The highlight of her nursing career was at Camp Sea Gull in Arapahoe, NC, where she served as a camp nurse for more than 10 years. In addition to her nursing career, Marion was an active and dedicated volunteer across many aspects of the Fayetteville community. She served as president of the board of directors for Cape Fear Botanical Garden, Fayetteville Garden Council and Woodland Garden Club. She also served on the board of trustees of Cape Fear Valley Medical Center. She was a devoted member of First Baptist Church, where she served as a trustee, helped found the M&M Sunday School class and faithfully supported its outreach and mission activities during her more than 40 years of membership. Marion set an example to her family and others for taking each and every new experience as an opportunity to grow and build new relationships. She travelled extensively in her later years, including trips to Alaska, Canada, Europe, South America and seven trips to Asia. She became a residential real estate broker during the late 1970s. Her artistic side included pursuits in pottery and flower arranging, where she ultimately became an accredited flower show judge for The Garden Club of North Carolina. Her kind enthusiasm was a source of encouragement to everyone she met and befriended. At the core of Marion's life was her family, where she was a devoted wife, mother and grandmother. She had many friends both young and old and especially enjoyed sharing stories about her seven grandchildren. Marion is survived by her three children, John L. Kennedy Jr. and wife Tricia of Greenwich, Conn., Robert B. Kennedy Sr. and wife Wistie of Atlanta, and Jane Kennedy Clayton and husband Robert of Fayetteville; seven grandchildren, Grace and John Kennedy III of Greenwich, Bentley Jr., Lacy and Carter Kennedy of Atlanta, and Robert III and Peter Clayton of Fayetteville; two brothers, Wesley Hoover of Falmouth, Mass., and Robert Hoover of Charleston, S.C.; a sister, Barbara O'Grady of Newport News, Va.; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. Funeral services will be conducted at 2 p.m. today, Dec. 20, 2008, in First Baptist Church, with the Rev. A. Edward Beddingfield officiating. Burial will follow in Lafayette Memorial Park. The family received friends from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, Dec. 19, 2008, at Jernigan-Warren Funeral Home in Fayetteville. Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church, Marion Kennedy Memorial Fund, 201 Anderson St., Fayetteville, NC 28301. Services entrusted to Jernigan-Warren Funeral Home of Fayetteville.