Johnny Ray Kennon

Mr. Johnny Ray Kennon was born on August 11, 1963, in San Mateo County, California to Jimmie Ray Kennon, Sr. and the late Irma Lee Davenport Kennon. He passed away October 4, 2012, in Stockton, CA. He was the fourth of eight children. Johnny Ray spent his first few years in South Palo Alto and East Palo Alto, California. In 1971, his mother and four brothers relocated to the Sunnyhills area in Milpitas, California. Johnny Ray attended Weller Elementary School, Thomas Russell Middle School, and Milpitas High School. He completed his secondary education at Milpitas High School in 1980.

In the early 1970s, he was baptized by his grandfather, Bishop Calvin Kennon Sr., at The Little Mission COGIC in San Francisco along with his brothers. Johnny Ray was a wonderful son, loving brother, uncle and dedicated friend. He wouldn't hesitate to help out a friend in need. He loved his Sunnyhills Community and took pride in the fact that it was his home.

Johnny Ray loved sports and played with his brother Jeffrey, on the great Milpitas High School Variety Basketball Team of 1979/ 1980, as a forward and center. He was coached by Coach Frank Insell and his father, Jimmie Ray Kennon Sr. who served as an assistance coach. As a youth, he played Little League Baseball for Milpitas North. He was an avid fan of the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Lakers.

He loved to read, listen to music, surf on his computer and Facebook, and he was an excellent cook.

Johnny Ray served in the United States Army for eight years, rising to the rank of Sergeant and received an Honorable Discharge. He was stationed at Fort Lewis in Washington and in Germany. While in Germany, he played on the Army Basketball Team. He also learned to speak the German language. Upon his return to the United States, he was employed as a supervisor at Kraft’s Food Distribution, and resided in Milpitas and Mountain View, CA. He relocated to Stockton, CA in 2005 and obtained employment at Ingredion Incorporated, as a Lead Process Operator until his death. He was highly regarded by his co-workers as an excellent worker and received several awards of Excellence from Ingredion Inc. and the United Way.

Johnny Ray leaves to cherish his memory and the joy he brought to his beloved father Jimmie Ray Kennon, Sr., mother Lana J. Kennon; his grandmother, Bernice Avery; brothers: Leon Kennon, Sr. (Linda); Jeffrey Kennon; Jonathan Kennon (Kenda); sisters: Tonya Kennon Brooks (Leo); Jeanitra Kennon Hector (David), and Josi Kennon Swonetz (Jesse). Jimmy also leaves his uncles: Al Leroy Kennon; Calvin Kennon, Jr., (Yvonne), Louis Jackson (Patricia), Joe Jackson, MacArthur Jackson, Edward Campbell, Wilbert Davenport (Arteria), Lawrence Marks (Sharon), Andrew Marks (Bernice), Issac Brown (Sonya); aunts: Ruby Small; Ann Kennon Boyd; Gail Jackson, Earnestine Nelson, and Dianne Langel; his nephews: Leon Kennon, Jr., Michael Kennon, Landon Harvey, Michael LaStrappe, Marques Butilla, Myles Dillahunty, Kendall Boone, Kimani Luckey, David Hector III, Winston Nigel Nelson, Jaden Hector, and Noah Swonetz; nieces: Tamara Rufus, Chandra LaStrappe, Miranda Nereu Kennon, Danielle Kennon, great niece, My'Auni Brown, great nephew, Tamajah Rufus and a host of extended family and friends who loved him and will deeply miss him.

Preceding Johnny Ray in death are his mother Irma Lee Davenport Kennon, his grandparents: Lucille Davenport, Calvin and Josie Kennon, Sr., his brother, Jimmy Kennon, Jr., nephew Jeffrey Kennon, Jr.; aunts: Carol Kennon and Erma Jean Taylor (Fred); uncles: George Brown III (Jamie), Bob Nelson, Timothy Boyd (Ann).

The Kennon family would like to extend a special thanks to the Sunnyhills Community and the many families and friends that have supported the family during this past year in the loss of our two sons, Jimmy Ray Jr. and Johnny Ray Kennon.