Kennedy, James Dwight

KILGORE - Services for James Dwight Kennedy, 82, of Kilgore, will be 
at 10 a.m. Friday, May 25, 2007, at St. Luke's United Methodist Church, 
with the Rev. Ernie Turney officiating. Arrangements are by Rader 
Funeral Home of Kilgore. Mr. Kennedy died May 19, 2007, at his 
residence.

Born August 9, 1924, in Smackover, Ark., he was a U.S. Marine Corps 
veteran, coach, principal and active member of St. Luke's United 
Methodist Church. Survivors include his wife, Yvonne; sons, Dwight 
and Mike; and daughter, D'Ann Kennedy Sebaste. Visitation will be 
from 6-8 p.m. Thursday, May 24, 2007, at the funeral home.

Please leave online condolences at www.raderfuneralhome.com.

Published in the Longview News-Journal on 5/22/2007.

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Kennedy, James Dwight

KILGORE - Services for James D. Kennedy, 82, of Kilgore, will be at 10 
a.m. Friday, May 25, 2007, at St. Luke's United Methodist Church, with 
the Reverend Ernie Turney officiating.

Mr. Kennedy died Saturday afternoon, May 19, 2007, at his home in Kilgore, 
with his wife and children beside him.

Mr. Kennedy was born August 9, 1924, in Smackover, Arkansas, to Ola and 
Clay Kennedy. He was thankful that his parents moved to East Texas in 
1932. He attended the New London School in the sixth grade in March 1937. 
He was a survivor of the New London School Explosion. The following year, 
he attended Kilgore schools, where he remained a student, was an athlete 
in football, basketball, and track and graduated in 1942.

Upon graduation, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1943, and was sent 
for active duty in the South Pacific. He obtained a bachelor's and 
master's degrees in education along with administration certification 
from Stephen F. Austin State University.

He was employed by the Kilgore Independent School District as a coach, 
teacher for 11 years, principal of Eastview Elementary for eight years, 
Kilgore Heights Elementary for 25 years and retired in 1985. One of his 
honors following retirement was being elected Man of the Year in 1985.

Mr. Kennedy was very active in his church, St. Luke's United Methodist, 
where he was a member for 55 years. He taught Sunday school for 12 years, 
served on official boards, member or chairman of several committees and 
an active participant in his Sunday school class McDavid/McKinley. For 
more than 25 years, his passion was planting and nurturing the flowers 
by Rnowles Chapel.

Mr. Kennedy married Yvonne Bennett of Henderson on June 14, 1952. They 
were married almost 55 happy years, and they had three children and three 
wonderful grandchildren.

Mr. Kennedy was preceded in death by his parents; and two brothers, Clay 
Kennedy Jr. and Bryce Kennedy.

He is survived by his wife, Yvonne; two sons and daughters-in-law, Dwight 
and Deborah of Ovilla, Texas, and Mike and Blanca of Fulshear, Texas; and 
one daughter, D'Ann Kennedy Sebaste of Charlotte, North Carolina. His 
three grandchildren whom he loved dearly are Dixie Kay Kennedy of Ovilla, 
Texas, Michael James Kennedy of Fulshear, Texas, and Danielle Yvonne 
Sebaste of Charlotte, North Carolina. He is survived by one sister-in-law, 
Carolyn Kennedy; and niece, Cara Bell, both of Kilgore.

Pallbearers will be Bill Wylie, Milton Hattaway, Don Hedrick, Billy 
Humphrey, Jay Bell, James Alvin Hunter, Jerry Zahn and Marshall Bennett.

Memorial contributions may be made to St. Luke's United Methodist Church 
Memorial Fund or the American Cancer Society.

The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. this evening, May 24, 2007, 
at Rader Funeral Home of Kilgore.

Please leave online condolences at www.raderfuneralhome.com.

Published in the Longview News-Journal on 5/24/2007.