Daisy Kennedy

Daisy Mae (Dassler) Kennedy was born Aug. 28, 1931, at Crowder, Okla., and passed away Friday, Dec. 11, 2015, in Lewiston. She was 84 years old and an enrolled member of the Cherokee Nation from Tahlequah, Okla.

Daisy was the daughter of Robert Louis "Buck" and Lula Rae (Moore) Dassler, who preceded her in death. She married Boyd Caraway Kennedy on June 19, 1986. Daisy had six children (last known locations), Charles Edward Drerup of New Plymouth, Idaho, David Eugene Drerup of Boise, Suzanne Marie Schaffer of Stafford, Va., Catherine A. Freeman of Guthrie, Okla., and Larry Deon Barton and Deborah Lynn Barton, both of Lawton, Okla.; and a stepdaughter, Darla Kay Adams of Houston.

Daisy had eight sisters and four brothers growing up. She was an outstanding gardener, and in the many years she lived in Lapwai, she planted several flower gardens for the community. She was an excellent seamstress and made many lap blankets for veterans, as well as ribbon shirts.

She was well-known for her baking, especially her zucchini bread. To many children in the Lapwai community, Grandma Daisy always had fresh-baked cookies for after-school snacks. Daisy was very active in the Lapwai community, cooking for every dinner, funeral or cultural event. She participated in many Nez Perce senior trips and activities. In her younger days, she was an avid catfisher and loved the outdoors. She was a waitress most of her life, leading her to be a good conversationalist with many great stories.

It was Daisy's wish to be cremated without services and to be sent back to Oklahoma to be placed in the family plot.