In loving memory of
Quajuae Kennedy
March 24, 1996 — April 7, 2017
Quajuae “Qak” Alexus Kennedy (born March 24, 1996) was a Newton native and Maiden High School graduate who cheered for her school and pursued cosmetology and criminal justice studies.
Remembering Quajuae
A life held close in memory
Quajuae “Qak” Alexus Kennedy was born March 24, 1996. Raised in the Newton/Hickory area of Catawba County, she grew into a young woman known in her community for school spirit and steady hopes for the future.
A 2014 graduate of Maiden High School, Quajuae had been a cheerleader through much of her childhood and high-school years — a throughline in her life that reflected her energy and ability to lift those around her. After graduation she continued her studies at local colleges, attending Caldwell Community College with a concentration in cosmetology and later taking classes at Catawba Valley Community College where she pursued criminal justice coursework. She balanced study and work, holding a position with SweetFrog, and invested in practical skills while keeping sight of broader ambitions.
Family was important to Quajuae. Public records connected her to parents and siblings who survived her, and funeral arrangements show she was surrounded by relatives and friends who came together to remember her. A Jenkins Funeral Home notice lists family, visitation, and a service attended by the community — gestures that underscore the place she held in the lives of people who knew her.
Though her life was cut short in April 2017, what remains in public records and memorial notices are the everyday, human details: a young woman who cheered on her school, who worked and studied toward a trade and a degree, and who was closely tied to family and hometown. Those facts point to a life of ordinary commitments and small accomplishments that mattered deeply to those closest to her.
Quajuae’s story is a reminder that behind headlines are people with friends, family, and plans. The public record preserves a few clear facts about her education, employment, and hometown; beyond that, there are private memories held by those who loved her. This page honors her as Quajuae Alexus Kennedy — a daughter, sibling, graduate, student, and member of her community — and remembers the human being at the center of a life ended far too soon.
Shared moments