David Bradford Kenney

David “Dave” Bradford Kenney passed away on April 5, 2026, one week after his 92nd birthday following a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. Dave was born on March 29, 1934, in Beverly, Massachusetts and later moved to Baltimore, Maryland in high school. He went on to attend Michigan State University and graduated from The School of Hospitality Business in 1957. While at Michigan State, he met his future wife, Joanna “Jo,” and the two were married in the school chapel in 1956. Dave recently told his family that asking Jo to marry him was the best decision he’s ever made.

After graduating, Dave and Jo moved to Atlanta, Georgia to manage a local restaurant on Northside Drive. It was there that he met Cecil B. Day and joined him in developing and operating a fast-food restaurant chain called Jiffy Drive Ins. The business venture evolved over the years into a motel chain that would become Days Inn of America. Dave served as the first President of Days Inn during its formative years and managed over 100 motels in his time at the company. After stepping down from Days Inn in the late 1970s, Dave bought and managed numerous hotels for the remainder of his career. His last hotel asset was Regency Suites Hotel located at 10th Street and West Peachtree in Atlanta.

Throughout his life, Dave was actively involved in national and local hospitality trade associations. He played a key role in establishing the Georgia Hospitality and Travel Association and was heavily involved with the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau where he served as interim President for a year. He also served as a past Chairman of the Cecil B. Day School of Hospitality Administration at Georgia State University.

In 1992, Dave was elected as the Chairman of the American Hotel and Motel (now Lodging) Association. During his chairmanship, Dave was widely recognized for his strong advocacy for the rights of people with disabilities. After the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed in 1990, he made it a personal mission to promote accessible travel and the hiring of individuals with disabilities, traveling internationally to advance the cause. His advocacy won him such honors as "Man of the Year" by the Society for the Advancement of Travel for the Handicapped in 1992 and the Paul Grossinger Award for "Humanitarian of the Year" in 1994. He also served as an ambassador for the 1996 Paralympic Games held in Atlanta immediately following the Olympic Games.

Dave’s contributions to the hospitality industry were widely recognized. He was inducted into the Michigan State University School of Hospitality Business Hall of Fame, the Georgia Hospitality Hall of Fame, and the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau Hall of Fame.

Dave will be remembered for his friendly, outgoing personality and his glass-half-full outlook, always seeing the best in everyone and every situation. He made great friends wherever he went and was known for his abundant generosity toward his family, friends, and employees. He also had a very dry wit, often leaving others laughing without ever cracking a smile.

Dave and Jo shared a love of travel and traveled extensively, visiting destinations not commonly explored by Americans at the time, including Russia, China, and Pakistan. In 1984, Dave joined a group of Atlanta friends in purchasing a flat in London, which they visited often and used as a base for travels throughout Europe over the years.

One of Dave’s lifelong passions was golf. He loved to compete with friends and always enjoyed a friendly wager. While Dave was fortunate enough to have been a member of quite a few golf and country clubs over the years, he had two special places in his heart. The first was Atlanta Country Club, where he was a member for over 50 years and served as President from 1982 to 1984. Dave played almost exclusively in the Big Table golf group at ACC where he had many great lifelong friends. He also enjoyed playing gin rummy after his golf game. The second club was Grandfather Golf and Country Club in Linville, North Carolina. Dave and Jo bought a residence there in 1974, and it was without a doubt their “happy place.” They were members at GGCC for 43 years and cherished all the friendships they had in this community. Their children and grandchildren especially cherished the Fourth of July celebrations there. Dave often said that choosing Grandfather was the best quality-of-life decision he ever made.

Dave was preceded in death by his parents Louise and Orin Kenney, his daughter Kristen Kenney McMahan, his brother George Kenney, and his sister Barbara Kenney Greenspun. He is survived by his beloved wife of almost 70 years, Joanna “Jo” Kenney and his sons, Scott Kenney (Stephanie) and Brad Kenney. He also leaves behind seven grandchildren: Wesley Kenney (Hattie), Whitney Kenney Satyshur (Ben), Ansley Kenney, Kristen McMahan Hudson (Drew), Kelsea McMahan, William McMahan (Alyssa), Joanna McMahan Knott (David) and five great-grandchildren: Avett and Wyatt Hudson, Scottie and Walker Satyshur, and Hill Kenney.

Dave will be greatly missed by his family and friends. His legacy of integrity, hard work, generosity, and above all, a lifetime of selfless service will inspire his family for generations to come.

Dave's family would like to give special thanks to Marie Alta Siffran, his devoted caregiver of the past six years, for her kindness, patience, and dedication to Dave's care. They are deeply grateful for the love and support she showed him each day.

Dave did not desire to have a funeral, but a Celebration of Life (casual) is scheduled for 4:00 PM on June 9th at Atlanta Country Club.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Dave’s name can be made to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research, P.O. Box 5014, Hagerstown, MD 21741 or Children's Healthcare of Atlanta 1575 Northeast Expressway, Atlanta, GA 30329.