George Ernest Kennedy, Jr.'s Obituary
GEORGE ERNEST KENNEDY, JR.
1934 ? 2006
George Ernest Kennedy, Jr., 71, a lifelong resident of East Texas, died peacefully surrounded by his family on Tuesday, March 14, 2006, at Good Shepherd Medical Center in Longview, following a lengthy illness.
Funeral services are scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on Thursday at the Trinity Episcopal Church with the Reverend Carol Petty and the Reverend Kevin Wittmayer officiating. Interment will follow at Rosewood Park under the direction of Rader Funeral Home.
The family will receive friends 4:00-6:00 p.m. today, Wednesday, March 15, at the funeral home.
The son of a prominent East Texas family, George was born on August 21, 1934, in Nacogdoches, Texas, the son of the late Lucy and George Kennedy, Sr. He is survived by his wife, Dorothy Robbins Kennedy, and his children, Neina Mead Kennedy, George Ernest Kennedy III, and his wife, Marilyn, his grandchildren, George Ernest Kennedy IV, Stacia Michelle Kennedy and Derek Robbins Kennedy, a sister, Lucy Marie Canter and husband Jim of Jacksonville, and brother Louis Haden Kennedy, and his nieces and nephews.
A 1953 graduate of Longview High School, he received a degree in Business Administration from North Texas University in 1956. He moved to Houston and worked in a management program for the silver department of Foley Brothers.
In 1956, George married lifetime Longview resident, Dorothy Mae Robbins, and they moved to Longview where he established Kennedy Real Estate. He was an active member of Trinity Episcopal Church where he served on the Endowment Council and helped manage the Trinity Church Conference Center. As an avid hunter, he was a member of the Rocks Creek Hunting Club in Mason, Texas. He was a District Governor of Civitans International, a member of the Huguenot Society, the Nacogdoches Historical Society, the Longview Museum of Fine Arts, the Gregg County Historical Foundation, the Cherokee Club, Pinecrest Country Club and a charter member of Longfellows.
George was founder and president of Kennedy Gourmet International. The company started with his famous Sir George Fudge and expanded into an important gourmet candy company that distributed fancy food products worldwide.
The family requests that those who desire to do so may make contributions to the George E. Kennedy, Jr. Memorial Fund, c/o Trinity Episcopal Church, 906 East Padon Street, Longview, Texas 75601, Trinity School of Texas, P. O. Box 4337, Longview, Texas 75606, or to a charity of your choice.
Pallbearers will be Campbell Cox, John Robbins, Robert Bruyere, John Zeigler, Earl Little, Arliss Mallory, John Guttry, Jon Ruff, Al Stevens and Dan Boren.
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