Mary Elizabeth Kennamer

Mary Elizabeth Craig Kennamer, 79, wife of Dr. James Earl Kennamer for 58 years, went to be with the Lord on Friday, February 13, 2026.

Mary was born in Jackson, MS on August 17, 1946, to the late James William and Dorabel Moore Craig. After high school she attended Mississippi State College for Women in Columbus, MS, receiving a BA degree in Journalism with a minor in Art. Mary met her future husband, James Earl, while he was working on his Master’s Degree in Wildlife Management at Mississippi State University in Starkville, MS. They married before Mary’s senior year at MSCW. After graduation she worked as the Assistant Editor for the West Point Times Leader newspaper in West Point, MS. After moving to Auburn, AL with her husband and starting a family, she worked for the Opelika-Auburn News as an editor. She and her family moved to Edgefield, SC in 1980 where she became the Assistant Editor for the National Wild Turkey Federation’s magazine, Turkey Call. She was an employee of the NWTF for 17 years working later in the Conservation Department. Before retiring, she became the Editor of the Edgefield newspaper, Citizen News.

Mary enjoyed traveling, cooking wild game and vegetables from her husband’s garden, decorating, and being with family, especially her granddaughters. She was a faithful member of Edgefield First Baptist Church and member of the Faith Sunday School Class. She sang in the choir for many years and was a Sunday School teacher at one time.

In addition to her husband, she is survived by her daughter, Lynn Smith (John) and son, Lee Kennamer (Kim), both of Lexington, SC, sister Laurie Gwaltney (John) of Crystal Springs, MS, and brother John Craig of Starkville, MS. She is also survived by granddaughters Grace Smith, Leah Smith and Rosa Lee Kennamer and grandsons, Jaxson and Nate Kennamer, all of Lexington, SC, sister-in-law Anna Marie Rush (Dwain) of Lineville, AL, and nieces Dr. Marie Rush-Radke of Lineville, AL, Michelle Kloeti of Auburn, AL and Meg Anderson of Atlanta, GA. She is predeceased by her parents and granddaughter, Emma Lynn Smith.

Services will be held at 11 a.m., Monday, February 16, 2026 at the Edgefield First Baptist Church. The family will receive friends immediately following the memorial service. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Edgefield First Baptist Church Building Fund in her memory. Edgefield Mercantile Funeral Home will be handling all arrangements.