James Kennedy's Obituary
James Lee Kennedy (Jim) of Cornelius, North Carolina passed away on September 19, 2017, after a courageous battle with cancer. He was born in San Francisco but moved at an early age to Danville, Illinois.
He attended Bradley University on a tennis scholarship and was later inducted into the Hall of Fame at Bradley for his remarkable tennis career. Following his time at Bradley, he was commissioned as an officer in the U.S. Navy where he learned to fly. He served as an airline pilot for Pilgrim Airlines, Arabian American Oil Company, and eventually Allegheny which became USAirways. Jim retired as a Captain on the Airbus 330, after 35 years. He loved flying airplanes, playing tennis with his buddies who affectionately called him Jumbo, traveling the world with his family and friends, playing with his grandkids as their Cappy, and taking long walks in the park with his dog Zoe.
He is survived by his loving wife of 46 years, Jeani Kennedy of Cornelius, three children; Kristy Whitaker and her husband, Todd, and their children Anna, Connor, and Abbey; Paige Heinrich and her husband, Gist, and their children Gist, Banks, and Lucy; and, Lee Kennedy and his wife, Kelly, and their children, Tyler and Piper.
A Memorial Service will be held on Monday, September, 25 at 11:00 am at Davidson United Methodist Church, 233 S. Main Street, Davidson, NC 28036.
We are deeply grateful for the love and support of all of our family and friends, especially Dr. David Cook and the nurses and staff at the Levine & Dickson Hospice House - Huntersville who provided tremendous comfort in Jim's final moments.
Memorial contributions may be made in Jim's honor to Levine & Dickson Hospice House 11900 Vanstory Drive, Huntersville, NC 28078.
James Funeral Home is assisting the family of Jim Kennedy.
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