Martha Jo Moore Lanier Kennemore, age 85, of Gainesville, GA passed away on Monday, June 1, 2026. She was born on July 19, 1940 in Austell, GA.

Jo attended different Elementary Schools; Main Street, Oakwood, Norcross, Hapeville, New Holland.

She was in the first graduating class at East Hall High School in May, 1958.

Jo was a cheerleader at Miller Park and East Hall. She was a member of the Beta club and the National Honor Society; she loved school.

She worked at Roses 5 & 10 cent store on Saturdays making .35 cents an hour. She also worked at Sears and Allen Waters Interiors. She had a year of Interior Design from GA State when working at Allen Waters.

Jo was married to Richard Lanier on Aug 31, 1958, and later divorced. She had two children from this marriage, Al Lanier and six years later, Joe Lanier.  She also raised her only biological grandson, Blake Lanier. Al is married to Kimberly Lanier with one child, Elizabeth. Joe is married to Carolyn Lanier and have several children and grandchildren.

Jo later married her beloved husband Richard Franklin Kennemore on September 8, 1972. They were married almost 50 years.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Howard and Willie Wehunt, and husband, Richard Kennemore, who passed on May 31, 2019.

Jo has two biological grandchildren, Karson and Macie Lanier. She also had two stepdaughters, Sheryl Bell and Teresa Reynolds. Sheryl is deceased leaving two children, Jamie Forrester and Holly Bryant, who have several grandchildren.

Teresa is married to Hyman Reynolds, has two sons, Drew and Chad who have several children.

She was a charter member of Woodlawn Baptist Church. She

taught Sunday school, Vacation Bible school, and was church hostess for several years at Forest Hills Baptist church. 

She has been on the visiting committee, telephone committee, and the choir, and sang in a trio with Evelyn Crane and Doris Fowler. She continued singing until a stroke took her voice in 2020.  She loved music and singing.

Jo is a member of the Central Baptist Church, downtown Gainesville and is active in Sunday school, Central Lights and served on the building & grounds committee, stewardship committee and personnel committee.

After her husband died, her health deteriorated. She continued attending church on Sunday and Wednesday nights. She loved her church family. 

Jo had special friends she kept in contact with for years including Joyce Casper, Rebecca Latty, Ann Kendrick, and Judy McIntyre. She had a wide circle of friends, too numerous to mention.

She has a loving sister and her husband, Sandra and Mike Buffington, and two brothers, Phillip Moore and Ronnie Wehunt and numerous nieces and nephews, too numerous to name.

A celebration of life will be held Saturday, June 13, 2026 at 11:00 a.m. at Central Baptist Church in Gainesville, GA with Rev. Mike Taylor officiating. The family will receive friends at the church on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. until the hour of service.

Those wishing to leave condolences may do so at ww.littledavenport.com

Little & Davenport Funeral Home and Crematory are in charge of the arrangements.