Billie Kennedy

Colonel Billie Joe Kennedy, 93, of Monument, CO was surrounded by his children when he went to be with his Lord and Savior on June 20, 2025, after a life well lived. A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, July 2, 2025 at 10:00 AM at Tri-Lakes Church of Christ in Monument followed by burial services with military honors at noon at the Pikes Peak National Cemetery. Greg Smith, the Minister from Tri-Lakes Church of Christ, will officiate.

Bill was born on February 19, 1932 to Jerome and Velma (Ross) Kennedy in Johnson, Kansas. Bill had memories of living through the Dust Bowl and the hard times of the Great Depression. His family moved frequently and he remembered once living in a railroad boxcar while his father worked on a Works Progress Administration (WPA) dam project in western Kansas. At the time, he thought the boxcar was quite luxurious! During the later years of the Depression, his family moved west to find work in the orchards of Idaho and Washington. Eventually, his family moved back to Kansas and then settled in Colorado, farming dry land wheat outside of Akron, Colorado. Bill played basketball, football, and ran track at Akron High School, and graduated in 1951. He went on to attend the University of Colorado Boulder, where he was a member of the Army ROTC, and then graduated from CU in 1955 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting.

The summer after his college graduation, Bill was home in Akron, cruising in his new car, when he spotted Julaine Thornton, a pretty new girl in town. Bill asked Julaine if she wanted to ride in his red Ford convertible, and she told him she didn’t ride with boys she hadn’t been introduced to. A mutual friend made the introduction, and they were married a few months later on October 29, 1955. They had recently celebrated sixty-nine years of marriage shortly before Julaine passed away in 2024.

Bill was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Army in 1955 and was assigned to Fort Belvoir, Virginia to attend the U.S. Army Engineer School and then sent to Fort Carson, Colorado in the Army Corps of Engineers. After two years as an Army engineer, he was reassigned to the U.S. Army Finance Corps and sent to Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indianapolis, Indiana for the Army Finance Basic Course. His assignments as a Finance Officer included: Korea for a one-year remote tour in the aftermath of the Korean War; Fort Riley, Kansas; Fitzsimons Army Hospital, Colorado; Wharton Barracks in Heilbronn, Germany; Leighton Barracks in Würzburg, Germany; Cam Rahn Bay and Qui Nhon, Republic of Vietnam during the Vietnam War; the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College in Fort Leavenworth, Kansas; and the Pentagon in Alexandria, VA. His final assignment was Fort Benjamin Harrison, Indiana as an Army Comptroller. Bill served with distinction for twenty-nine years in the Army and achieved the rank of Colonel before retiring in 1984. At the time of his retirement, he was one of only six Colonels in the entire U.S. Army Finance Corps.

After the Army, Bill and Julaine retired to Monument, Colorado and built their dream house in Woodmoor. Bill was heavily involved in the design of the house which was inspired by the architecture he had seen while traveling Europe and Asia during his Army career. He served on the Board for the Woodmoor Water & Sanitation District in the 1990s. He and Julaine developed many close relationships with their neighbors and often said they had the “best neighbors anyone could ask for”. Bill and Julaine purchased a fifth wheel RV and traveled throughout the country both on their own and as part of the Pikes Peak HitchHikers Club, where he served as the “Sheriff” of the group.

Bill was contemplative yet playful. He was curious about people, where they were from, and what they did. He never met a stranger and was always eager to engage in a conversation with anybody, whether it was family, friends, or someone he had just met for the first time. In a ten-minute conversation, he would pull your life story out of you and find points to playfully razz you about. Bill was also inquisitive about current events. He always started his day by reading the Gazette while drinking his tea and eating his cereal concoction with a banana and English muffin. He similarly read through his monthly edition of National Geographic with vigor. Bill loved watching football. He had season tickets to the Air Force Academy’s games, and he was a die hard Broncos fan. In his 80s, he enjoyed taking part in his grandson’s fantasy football league and was often at the top of it, despite being the least tech savvy person in the league.

The family wants to thank all the caregivers at TheKey, especially Sarah Valerio and Amy Garcia. They went above and beyond to ensure Bill received the best care possible. They were more than just caregivers, they were devoted friends to Bill in the twilight of his life. We are grateful for them and all the staff at Springs Ranch Memory Care and StoneCreek of Flying Horse for their compassionate care for Bill.

Bill was preceded in death by his loving wife, Julaine Kennedy; parents Jerome and Velma Kennedy; and an infant daughter, Paige Leigh Kennedy.

Bill is survived by his children Greg (Crystal) Kennedy of Eagle River, Alaska, and Shawna (Larry) Witthar of Amarillo, Texas; brother Don Kennedy of Akron, Colorado; brother-in-law Lynn (Brenda) Thornton of Amarillo, Texas; grandchildren Ryan (Jenna) Kennedy of Corinth, Texas; Erin (Justin) Saucier of Eagle River, Alaska; Kyle (Marilu) Kennedy of Knoxville, Tennessee; Paige (Chris) Goodell of Amarillo, Texas; and Payton (Shannon) Witthar of Canyon, Texas; seven great-grandchildren; many cousins, nieces, and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests for memorial contributions to be made to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation or Tri-Lakes Church of Christ.

A memorial service for Billie will be held Wednesday, July 2, 2025 from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM at Tri-Lakes Church of Christ, 20450 Beacon Lite Rd #9620, 9620, Monument, CO 80132. Following the memorial service will be a graveside service from 12:00 PM to 12:30 PM at Pikes Peak National Cemetery, 10545 Drennan Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80925.