Josephine Ruth Kennedy

Josephine Ruth Kennedy was born on December 1, 1954, in Independence, Louisiana. She was raised on a strawberry field in Springfield by her parents, Josephine and Walter Kennedy, alongside her siblings Juanita Kennedy Kinchen, Betty Gay Kennedy Rena, Curtis Kennedy, and Joseph Kennedy. In 1973, she gained her beloved sister, Regina McCord, completing their close-knit family. Ruth and Regina shared a particularly special bond that lasted throughout Ruth’s life.

Ruth was a lifelong and influential member of Blood River Church of God, where she faithfully served by teaching and sharing her faith, helping shape and inspire the lives of many in her community. Her love for the Lord was evident in the way she lived-through her kindness, her willingness to help others, and her dedication to spreading the message of Jesus Christ.

She had a deep love for cooking, gardening, and gathering people together. Ruth especially enjoyed sharing her knowledge of faith and scripture, always encouraging others, and guiding them with wisdom and compassion often shared through handwritten notes and handmade cards. Her faith and generosity left a lasting impact on all who knew her.

Ruth graduated from Springfield High School in 1972. She nattended Oregon Bible College from 1972 to 1974, and upon returning home, she continued her education at Southeastern Louisiana University from 1975 to 1979.

Ruth went on to build an honorable and distinguished career of 40 years in public service with the Louisiana Department of Health dedicating herself to helping families access essential services. Through hard work, leadership, and determination, she rose to lead new and changing initiatives, including LaCHIP, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, and Bayou Health,regularly making her way through the State handing out applications herself to be certain each child and family had the opportunity to be covered. Ruth was promoted to the position ofLouisiana Medicaid Director, where her efforts directly benefited over 1,000,000 Louisianans, their families, and healthcare providers serving these recipients. Never settling, she led the efforts to expand the program to an additional 400,000 of the working poor who otherwise had limited access to healthcare.

Throughout her career, Ruth made a profound difference in the lives of children and families across the state of Louisiana, and her efforts were seen throughout our nation as Ruth was a trusted and treasured resource for policymakers and providersacross this country. Recognized by her peers with the Dunbar Award in 2015, the highest honor classified state employees can receive, for service to the citizens of Louisiana. Her leadership and attention were recognized and documented in Washington DC and the Louisiana state legislature, where the Senate and the House of Representatives unanimously passed resolutions in her honor.

Known as a pioneer who was fearless and resourceful, Ruth was often the first to figure out how to make new policies work in practice. Her accomplishments reflected her deep compassion and unwavering commitment to helping individuals and families who otherwise would have been uninsured and struggling. She never wavered from her faith and the thought that there but for the grace of God, go I.

In 2017, Ruth retired from state government and then continued her work serving others by joining Southern Strategy Group,working with local pharmacies and other providers where she stayed engaged in efforts to improve healthcare access and policy across the nation. She streamlined eligibility verification programs, including hospital systems in Texas and elsewhere,expanding opportunities for care.

As the public health emergency ended Ruth helped manage programs through the state to make certain that Medicaid rolls were accurate and updated and that providers re-enrolled in the state programs were valid. Not one to sit idle, Ruth set up an accredited continuing education program for pharmacist and pharmacy technicians and began a training program working to build a larger base of certified pharmacy technicians statewide.

Ruth is survived by her sisters, Betty Gay Rena and Regina McCord; her brother, Joseph Kennedy (Sharon); sister-in-law, Loretta Kennedy; special cousin Sharon Irby Derbins; special niece Kay Kinchen; and many loving nieces and nephews. A special thank you and appreciation to Lena McCarter for all your care and assistance throughout the years.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Josephine and Walter Kennedy; siblings Juanita Kennedy Kinchen and Curtis Kennedy; brothers-in-law Willie Kinchen and Woody Rena.

Ruth will be remembered for her unwavering faith, her servant’s heart, and her lifelong dedication to helping others. Her legacy of compassion, leadership, and devotion to her family, faith, and community will continue to inspire all who were blessed to know her.

Ruth passed away peacefully at her home on Friday March 20, 2026. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, March 25th at Blood River Church of God, 23595 LA-1037, Springfield, Louisiana 70462, with visitation from 8:30 a.m. until 11:00 a.m., followed by the funeral service at 11:00 a.m. Interment will immediately follow at Carter Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made to Blood River Church of God in her honor.

Psalm 23- 1-6 “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of my enemies: thou anoints my head with oil; my cup runneth over. Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”