John Scott Kennedy

John Scott Kennedy, age 87, of Acme, passed away peacefully on Monday, December 23, 2024, surrounded by family. To John Kennedy, the past was always present and history was no mystery. An avid reader and researcher, he could trace his family tree, limb by limb, to the 1500s. A dignified member of the Sons of the American Revolution, he made periodic pilgrimages to the Cincinnati cemetery, where his ancestor, the founder of Cincinnati, Benjamin Stites, is buried. A lifelong resident of Acme, John grew up on the Kennedy farm on Bunker Hill Road, getting into mischief with his sister, Fran and his cousin, Kathleen. He cherished Acme, past and present, and was a walking, talking archive of biographical details of its people, going back a century or more. Unsurprisingly, considering his passion for imparting information, John received his Masters of Education from U of M and taught mathematics (and could have taught history!) for thirty-one years in the Birmingham Public Schools. An unabashed entrepreneur, he also worked in the insurance business and did property development with his beautiful wife, Mary Ann and his cousin, David Stites. Old-time Acme-ites may remember John Kennedy’s Trout Pond, a summertime business he started in the 1960s. He dug a pond on the Kennedy farm, stocked it with fish, and reeled in tourist dollars by renting poles and charging, by the pound, for every catch. A pioneer proponent of healthy eating back in the days of Frosted Flakes and Hamburger helper, John, nonetheless, had a passion for potatoes, especially scalloped potatoes, and vanilla ice cream. He wasn’t an extremist, after all! John was a proud father of four, three boys and a girl, each of whom he loved dearly. He was gratified to see his family tree blossom and bear fruit, rooted in the past and reaching for the future. John was an easy-going, friendly guy with a kind word and a piece of chocolate for everyone (chocolate is healthy, right?). One reason he was concerned with history is that history concerns people and people were what John cared about most. He was particularly proud of his Scottish/Irish heritage and the pipes have now called him home. And John, for whom history was alive, will live on in our history and in our hearts. John was preceded in death by his wife, Mary Ann in 2015; parents: Donald & Fern (Clark) Kennedy; and brother, Roger Kennedy. He is survived by his children: John Kennedy of Troy, Tim Kennedy of Portage, Scott (Ann) Kennedy of Troy, Maryscott Valles of Flushing; grandchildren: Jeremy Andren, Elisabeth Kennedy, Jacqueline Kennedy, John Jr. “Julien” Kennedy, Katherine Kennedy, Margaret “Maggie” Kennedy, Lilliana Kennedy Valles, Benjamin Kennedy Valles, Alexander Kennedy Valles; sister, Francis (Roy) Challender; and sister-in-law, Arlene Kennedy. A Funeral Service will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Saturday, December 28, 2024 at Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home, 305 Sixth St. Traverse City. Family will welcome visitors an hour prior to the service from 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. A luncheon will follow at Sleders. Burial will be held in Acme Township Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be given to Autumn House of Williamsburg, MI or Bayside Wellness of Traverse City.

John Scott Kennedy

November 2, 1937 - December 23, 2024