Georgia Lodena Odom Kennedy Joiner

Georgia Lodena Odom Kennedy Joiner (affectionately known as Mamo) was born to Alex H. Odom and Jennie Kirkland on November 23, 1918. She was born during the pandemic of 1918 and lived to see the pandemic of 2020.

Lodena joined the Midway Missionary Baptist Church of Scott County, Mississippi as a child with her family. She attended schools in Scott County through the Mississippi Public School System.

Lodena had many siblings; Howard, Isodore, Charles Wilson, and Nettie Odom. She had three half-siblings: Otis Beamon and Wellie Beamon Stowers and, Ernest Beamon. And she also had stepsiblings, Isom and Edgar Johnson, Era Johnson Burks, Katie Johnson Briscoe, and Ozella Johnson Solomon.  She earned her high school diploma from the Indianapolis Public School System.   While living on the southside of Indianapolis, she united with South Calvary Baptist Church and served on the usher board. She later moved to the eastside and joined Grace Memorial Missionary Baptist Church and remained there until her health began to fail her. As a proud member, she served on the Usher Board and Nurses Guild.

Lodena and her sister Nettie married brothers. Lodena married Willie Lewis Kennedy around 1937 to that union, five children were born: Willie O’Lester Kennedy (Highbaugh), Alex L. Kennedy, Willie E. Kennedy, and Heddie Mae Kennedy.

Lodena was a hard worker. The first job she had after arriving in Indiana from Mississippi in the early 1940s was working for one of the largest hotels in the downtown Indianapolis area. She enjoyed working with her friend Augusta Swain (her “Ace-boon-coon) and her stepsister-in-law Hattie Johnson as they all formed a special friendship.

Lodena never stopped learning. She decided to learn to drive at a late age and purchased her very own car, she was proud of that accomplishment. As an avid learner, she also felt the need to educate herself in the medical field by taking classes and became an LPN. She worked in many capacities during her life but retired from Winona Memorial Hospital in Indianapolis. Lodena had a desire to learn the piano so, she was self-taught but never mastered it completely. Lodena loved history, as she was always ready to recite the Gettysburg Address or the Preamble to the Constitution as she memorized word for word.

Later, Lodena remarried in July 1968 to George Joiner, they were married for 43 years until his death in 2012. At the age of 102 years, Lodena went to be with the Lord on December 18, 2020. She fought the good fight, kept her faith, finished her course, and now rests eternally with the Lord.  She was preceded in death by her daughter Willie O’Lester Kennedy Highbaugh, son; Alex Lamar Kennedy, son; Willie Earl Kennedy and youngest daughter; Heddie Mae Kennedy.

Lodena leaves to cherish her memory; one son, Franklin (Dorene) Kennedy, one sister Nettie Odom Kennedy of Mississippi. Seven grandchildren and many Great-grandchildren, Great-great grandchildren, and very special nieces, nephews, cousins. And her special friends, Karen Norberd, Faye Bradford, Mary Spivey, Augusta Swain, her cousin Anna Pearl Odom, and Delores Drane