Owen Aloysius Kennedy
June 22, 1935 - December 11, 2012
Obituary
Owen Aloyius Kennedy, loving father and grandfather, passed away December 11th, 2012, after a long decline in his health. He was born June 22, 1935, in Corona, Queens, New York to Sarah Jane Dickson and Owen Joseph Kennedy. Owen served his country as a jet mechanic for four year in the U.S Air Force. Owen received his undergraduate Degree of Bachelor of Arts from the University of Chicago in 1962. He received his Masters Degree in Psychology in 1965 and his Doctor of Philosophy in Psychology in 1971, both from the University of Utah. Owen started his career at the Utah State Hospital and then worked at the Wyoming State Hospital before transferring to the Federal Bureau of Prisons where he worked as a clinical psychologist at the maximum security prison at McNeil Island, Washington and at the Federal Correctional Institution in Englewood, Colorado. He was promoted to Mental Health Administrator and then Executive Assistant in the Western Regional Office of the Bureau of Prisons in Burlingame, California, and then served as Associate Warden for Programs at the Federal Correctional Institution in Pleasanton, California. In 1980 Owen found his true calling by transferring to the Department of Veterans Affairs at the VA Medical Center in Fort Meade, South Dakota, where he loved working with veterans. He also worked at the VA Medical Center in Prescott, Arizona, and he finished his career by retiring from the VA Outpatient Clinic and Regional Office in Anchorage, Alaska on June 28, 1996.
Owen married the love of his life Irene Lund on December 11, 1977, at the Highlands Inn, Carmel, California and leaves a loving family of six children; Kathy Cluny (Rick) of Evanston, Wyoming; Karen Johnson (Dan of Cottonwood Heights, Utah; Kristine Trout (John) of Salt Lake City, Utah; Christopher Kennedy of Napa, California; Kimberly Pfaff (Steve) of Springville, Utah; and Michael Jones (Jodi) of Festus, Missouri. Twelve grandchildren and five great-grandchildren make up the extended Kennedy Clan.
Owen was a brilliant, larger than life personality with a great sense of humor, who made a difference in his chosen field, providing comfort to veterans in pain and saving lives. He was an excellent judge of character, a Renaissance man who loved Jeopardy, and he was loved by everyone he associated with.
The family is grateful for the many dedicated and compassionate caregivers and the medical and nursing staff at the Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle, Washington, who tended to his final needs and eased his passing with dignity and love.
A Celebration of Owen’s life is planned for early summer with a gathering of the Kennedy Clan.
Forgetfulness-Billy Collins
The name of the author is the first to go
followed obediently by the title, plot,
the heartbreaking conclusion, the entire novel
which suddenly becomes one you have
never read, never even heard of,
as if, one by one, memories you used to harbor
decided to retire to the southern hemisphere of the brain,
to a little fishing village where there are no phones.
Long ago you kissed the names of the nine Muses goodbye
and watched the quadratic equation pack its bag,
and even now as you memorize the order of the planets,
something else is slipping away, a state flower perhaps,
the address of an uncle, the capital of Paraguay.
Whatever it is you are struggling to remember,
It is not poised on the tip of your tongue,
Not even lurking in some obscure corner of your spleen.
It has floated away down a dark mythological river
Whose name begins with an L as far as you can recall,
Well on your own way to oblivion where you will join those
Who have even forgotten how to swim and how to ride a bicycle.
No wonder you rise in the middle of the night
To look up the date of the famous battle in a book on war.
No wonder the moon in the window seems to have drifted
out of a love poem that you used to know by heart.
You will forever be missed, loved and cherished. May you rest in eternal peace.
Your love of family and friends was contagious. The love you left here will live on. Peace.
My heart goes out to the family of this amazing man.
May your cherished memories give you peace.
Kris and Family,
Mike and iI are very sorry to hear of your Father’s passing. You and your family are in our thoughts and prayers.
For the past six years we have had the privilage of being
neighbors to Owen & Irene Kennedy.
We enjoyed our numerous visits with Owen and he will
be sorely missed.
I cannot even comprehend a world without Owen. He is the true meaning of the word friend. I knew him for 25 years when we all worked at Ft. Meade; and Gene probably knew him for 50 years. Owen and Irene were our best friends in the world. My heart goes out to everyone in the family. He was so well respected and loved by many, and especially will be missed by the many veterans who were helped by him. I will never forget his humor, or the many “Owenisms” he came up with. Most of all, I admire the way he loved my best friend, Irene and how he treated her land how much he loved his children, and Irene’s son, Michael.; and all of the wonderful grand-children and great-grandchildren. . I believe that is the true measure of a man; with all his accomplishments in life, that is the one that means the most to me. You are all in my prayers; and I know, if we all go to a better place, he is there right now with Brandy and Gene, and they are having a philosophical discussion about everything, having a “wee dunkin dorse”, and watching Jeopardy!
We will always cherish the trip to New Zealand with Owen, Irene, Dan and Karen. Owen loved his “fish & chip meals”.
Usually our evenings were spent losing money to Owen and his card games while he sipped on his Sky vodka. We would finish off the evenings with Lyrics from old songs.
It was our privilage to know him.
Thank you, Owen, for giving me the best gift ever, my best friend Kathy!
Kathy, I am so sorry for the loss of your father. Please know that my thoughts and prayers are with you my friend!
Our love and sympathy go to Irene and the family. I will always miss the Kennedys as the best neighbors ever! A very special couple. Loved to just visit with Owen! He was a wealth of information and he surely loved his Irene. We want you to know that we care and send our prayers for comfort at this difficult time.
Love that Owen smile… Its is FOREVER!
Best regards Irene, God bless you and your wonderful family.
Dear Irene and Family,
Please know that friends, near and far, are holding you close to their hearts, during this time of sadness..
Irene and family. Owen was a very special friend to me since 1968 when he hired me to work with him at the Wyoming State Hospital. Without a doubt the most intelligent person I have ever known professionally and socially. I owe much of my success in the field of pyschology and correstions to Owen. He will truly be missed by all who knew and loved him.
Irene, so sorry for your lose. You are not alone as long as you have family.
Irene, it must give you comfort to know that Owen made a difference in so many lives. He was not only an excellent Psychologist, but an outstanding human being. I loved working with and knowing both you and Owen. He is the kind of man one hopes will live forever. May God give you the strength to help you through this very difficult time.
Sorry to hear of Owens death . We remember the visit to England and especially the visit to Kimpton Hall Farm were Owen recalled memories of his stay with his Aunt Margaret and Uncle Davie . This is a time to remember the good times and celebrate the life of Owen . Our prayers are with you at this sad time .
Cousin Margaret
We have fond memories of family get-togethers both in United Kingdom and United States. Although distances kept us apart we are grateful for those visits and remember them with genuine fondness.