James Dolphus Kennedy

James Dolphus Kennedy, beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend, passed away on December 22, 2025. Born on July 17, 1936 in Naples, Texas. James spent his early years in Oxnard and Los Angeles, California. He attended USC for one year on a football scholarship but when school became too expensive, he was drafted by the Army. James proudly served in the United States Army for three years.

After being honorably discharged, James moved to Prairie View, Texas to continue his college education. At Prairie View A & M, James excelled at sports and academics - Varsity Football and Track & Field and President of the Letterman’s Club his junior and senior years. He ran in the 1959 Pan Am Games and the 1960 Olympic trials in the 400 meter hurdles. James graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1961. It is also at Prairie View that he met his wife of 64 years, Nathelyne (Archie) Kennedy. They married on December 27, 1961 in Conroe, Texas and moved to Chicago, Illinois. During their time in Chicago, James worked as teacher, a counselor for the Chicago Boys & Girls Club, and he continued his track and field pursuits running for the Chicago Track Club. After working for Sinclair Oil Company and Atlantic Richfield, James was transferred to Houston in 1972 working as a manager in Labor Relations. He lived in Houston (Sharpstown) until 1987 – where his children went to elementary, junior and high school. After they left for college, James and Nathelyne moved to Sugar Land, where they lived for the next 38 years.

In high school, James won the State Championship in the 400 meters, the long jump and the 400 meter relay. James was inducted into the Prairie View A&M Hall of Fame in 1994 and Texas Southern School of Technology Wall of Honor. In 2000, James was appointed by Governor Perry to the Board of Directors of Keep Texas Beautiful. He was the designer for the Sugarland’s Sugar Festival logo and slogan “ The City of Sweetness.” In 1978, James was Chairperson for the committee that coordinated the Houston Independent School District Title IX, which required the school district to allow girls to participate in competitive sports.

He was a devoted, thoughtful, and loving husband and a friend to all he met. James was the proud father of two children—David and Tracey, and the grandfather to one granddaughter, Peyton – who he worshipped and spoiled unabashedly, and lovingly called her the “Chairman of the Board.”

In his leisure time, James was a scratch golfer and played golf for more than 50 years. He was an avid reader of Westerns, an enthusiastic fisherman, and one of his favorite hobbies was driving around Texas to small Texas towns – exploring, as he called it – always talking to everyone.

James Dolphus Kennedy will be remembered for his kindness, selflessness, devotion to his family and friends, and his unwavering belief in living an honorable and respectful life. He valued time with his family and took great pride in the life he built with those he loved. His motto was live your life with class and character. That was who he was and how he lived his life.

He is survived by this wife of 64 years, Nathelyne, children, Tracey and David, granddaughter Peyton, son-in-law, Trent Hawthorne, sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Nethelyne and Eugene Coleman, nieces and nephews, Eugene Coleman, Jr., Monette Coleman (Steve Engle), Ralph and N’yoka Coleman, cousins Gina Gaston (Mario Elie), Linda Kerl, Michelle Washington, Mia Young, Misty Kerl, and countless other cousins.