Municipal official, manager.
Born at Belfast, Ireland in 1910, the only son of Mr. and Mrs. D. Kennedy, he came to Canada in 1921. He worked for Burns Food Limited in Winnipeg for 40 years, retiring as Assistant Superintendent and Production Manager in 1965, after which he volunteered with the Canadian Executive Overseas Services, serving four months in an advisory role at St. Vincent in the Caribbean.
An active advocate for Catholic education in Manitoba, and for government funding for private schools, he was a Church and School Trustee in the Holy Cross Parish. He was an advisory member to the Manitoba Catholic Conference of Bishops, board member of St. Joseph’s Residence, and a director of the Canadian Catholic School Trustees Association, the Manitoba School Trustees Association, and the Canadian School Trustees Association. He served 27 years with the Norwood School Board (1955-1982), including a term as Chairman prior to his death. He was a founding member of St. Boniface Diocesan High School.
On 19 September 1936, he married Agnes Mary Clarkson (1912-1976) at Holy Cross Church in Norwood and had six children: Margaret Kennedy (?-1973), Patricia Kennedy (wife of Leo Soenen), Daniel Patrick Kennedy, Eileen Kennedy (wife of Julian Jones), Judith Kennedy (wife of Garry Hansen), Kathleen Kennedy (wife of Richard Heroux). The family resided at 19 Larchwood Avenue. He later remarried to Joan Tindall, who succeeded him on the Norwood School Board after his death. He was a two-term President of the Sons of Ireland Society in Manitoba, a charter member of the Knights of Columbus Council 3538, and Past Faithful Navigator of St. Francis of Assissi (4th degree Assembly).
In recognition of his community service, he was made a Knight in the Order of St. Gregory by Pope Paul VI (1972) and, in April 1982, a Frank Kennedy Appreciation Night was attended by over 400 people at Nelson McIntyre Collegiate. He received a Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal (1977) and a City of Winnipeg Community Service Award (1982).
He died on 19 May 1982 at the St. Boniface Hospital and was buried in the St. Boniface Cemetery.
“Engagements,” Winnipeg Free Press, 29 August 1936, page 8.
“Kennedy-Clarkson,” Winnipeg Free Press, 26 September 1936, page 11.
Obituary [Agnes Kennedy], Winnipeg Free Press, 5 March 1976, page 34.
Obituary [Charles Tindall], Winnipeg Free Press, 16 January 1981, page 35.
“Retiring trustee urges parental involvement,” Winnipeg Free Press, 14 April 1982, page 2.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 20 May 1982, page 41.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 21 May 1982, page 31.
“Kennedy wins vote,” Winnipeg Free Press, 15 July 1982, page 3.
This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.
Page revised: 4 October 2024
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