Obituary for John Kennedy
John Lewis Kennedy was born on May 29, 1946 in Washington, D.C. to Dorothy (née Walker) and Joseph Kennedy. John and his family—which includes siblings Joyce and Kevin—relocated to Brooklyn, New York when he was young before settling into a Hollis, Queens home full of love and blessed by the Lord’s Grace in 1959.
As a youngster, John could be mischievous, but he was always respectful to others. A true socialite, he was the life of every party he attended. The industrious teen got an early taste of wage work via jobs at a local grocery store and delivering newspapers in his community. He began attending Thomas A. Edison Vocational and Technical High School in 1961, helping to win the track & field program a bronze medal as a freshman participating in a boroughwide 880-yard relay. John’s speed and agility also made him an asset to the school’s football team, the Titans, where he earned a fitting nickname as a running back: Light in the Pants.
Those same legs that once scored touchdowns and sprinted high school race tracks helped John navigate Vietnam battlegrounds when he was drafted into the U.S. army shortly after his 1965 high school graduation. During his deployment, John was recognized for his marksmanship and honored with several military awards, including a Combat Infantry Badge and two Bronze Star medals, the latter—one of the most prestigious decorations across the American armed forces—celebrates heroic acts.
Upon being honorably discharged from active duty, John returned to Queens, New York. There, he spent two decades living in Rochdale Village and working as a mail sorter for United Parcel Service in Maspeth. He’d catch eyes everywhere he went, whether behind the wheel of the Cadillac he loved to drive or donning his stylish suits, gold jewelry, and a puffy afro (in later years, he’d slick his wavy hair back on his scalp). A music aficionado, John would dance to songs by artists like The Temptations, James Brown, and Roy Ayers, attend live jazz concerts, and collected crates upon crates of vinyl records, labeling each one with his initials. When he wasn’t enjoying his favorite tunes, he’d sit in front of the TV and watch everything from professional sports (football, baseball, and basketball) to stand-up comedy (Richard Pryor) to soap operas (Days of Our Lives).
John married Beverly Forrest in 1970; they welcomed their daughter, Karen, into the world the following year, on January 20. John would later marry Cassandra Hartgrove, his childhood sweetheart, in 1979. Together they had two children: Nicole (born August 13, 1979) and his only son, John Jr. (born May 29, 1985—on John’s 39th birthday). In 2013, John married Kathy Stewart, who cared for him in their Richmond, Virginia home as his health gradually declined during the twilight of his life. On April 23, 2022, John peacefully passed away at Hunter Holmes McGuire Veterans Administration Medical Center in Richmond.
John, who jokingly referred to himself as The President (since he and the late President Kennedy also shared birthdays), was an ever-glowing beam of optimism. He laughed easily, loved deeply, and positively impacted those around him with his edgy sense of humor. Most of all, he loved God. During his days in New York, John regularly attended church service at New Jerusalem Baptist Church in Jamaica, Queens.
John is survived by his wife Kathy; three children, Karen, Nicole, and John Jr.; sister Joyce; stepchildren Yvonne and Vickey; four grandchildren; five step grandchildren; and a host of beloved family members and friends. He joins his parents, Dorothy and Joseph, as well as his brother, Kevin, in the Kingdom of God. John Kennedy will forever be missed by the many souls he touched during his time on Earth.
Lovingly submitted by the family of Mr. John Kennedy
As a youngster, John could be mischievous, but he was always respectful to others. A true socialite, he was the life of every party he attended. The industrious teen got an early taste of wage work via jobs at a local grocery store and delivering newspapers in his community. He began attending Thomas A. Edison Vocational and Technical High School in 1961, helping to win the track & field program a bronze medal as a freshman participating in a boroughwide 880-yard relay. John’s speed and agility also made him an asset to the school’s football team, the Titans, where he earned a fitting nickname as a running back: Light in the Pants.
Those same legs that once scored touchdowns and sprinted high school race tracks helped John navigate Vietnam battlegrounds when he was drafted into the U.S. army shortly after his 1965 high school graduation. During his deployment, John was recognized for his marksmanship and honored with several military awards, including a Combat Infantry Badge and two Bronze Star medals, the latter—one of the most prestigious decorations across the American armed forces—celebrates heroic acts.
Upon being honorably discharged from active duty, John returned to Queens, New York. There, he spent two decades living in Rochdale Village and working as a mail sorter for United Parcel Service in Maspeth. He’d catch eyes everywhere he went, whether behind the wheel of the Cadillac he loved to drive or donning his stylish suits, gold jewelry, and a puffy afro (in later years, he’d slick his wavy hair back on his scalp). A music aficionado, John would dance to songs by artists like The Temptations, James Brown, and Roy Ayers, attend live jazz concerts, and collected crates upon crates of vinyl records, labeling each one with his initials. When he wasn’t enjoying his favorite tunes, he’d sit in front of the TV and watch everything from professional sports (football, baseball, and basketball) to stand-up comedy (Richard Pryor) to soap operas (Days of Our Lives).
John married Beverly Forrest in 1970; they welcomed their daughter, Karen, into the world the following year, on January 20. John would later marry Cassandra Hartgrove, his childhood sweetheart, in 1979. Together they had two children: Nicole (born August 13, 1979) and his only son, John Jr. (born May 29, 1985—on John’s 39th birthday). In 2013, John married Kathy Stewart, who cared for him in their Richmond, Virginia home as his health gradually declined during the twilight of his life. On April 23, 2022, John peacefully passed away at Hunter Holmes McGuire Veterans Administration Medical Center in Richmond.
John, who jokingly referred to himself as The President (since he and the late President Kennedy also shared birthdays), was an ever-glowing beam of optimism. He laughed easily, loved deeply, and positively impacted those around him with his edgy sense of humor. Most of all, he loved God. During his days in New York, John regularly attended church service at New Jerusalem Baptist Church in Jamaica, Queens.
John is survived by his wife Kathy; three children, Karen, Nicole, and John Jr.; sister Joyce; stepchildren Yvonne and Vickey; four grandchildren; five step grandchildren; and a host of beloved family members and friends. He joins his parents, Dorothy and Joseph, as well as his brother, Kevin, in the Kingdom of God. John Kennedy will forever be missed by the many souls he touched during his time on Earth.
Lovingly submitted by the family of Mr. John Kennedy