James "Jim" E. Kenney

Jim was born on May 21, 1938, in Indianapolis, Indiana, the son of the late James H. and Alice (née Mullen) Kenney. He spent the majority of his life in Indianapolis, but he was an enthusiastic visitor to Sanibel Island, Florida beginning in 1974, where he and his family spent many summers and vacations forging happy memories, and enjoying many meals at The Mucky Duck on Captiva. He became a winter resident of Bonita Springs in 1998 and made Bonita Springs his permanent home in 2010.

Jim was a proud graduate of Shortridge High School in 1956, where he played varsity baseball, and of Indiana University in 1960, where he was a member of Sigma Chi fraternity and a varsity letterman in baseball, while earning a B.S.in business administration. As an alumnus, he was also a distinguished member of the President’s Circle of Indiana University.

Jim also served his country with honor in the United States Army, attaining the rank of Captain in the Adjutant General’s Corps. He was honorably discharged in 1969.

Jim was an accomplished third-generation business owner, successfully operating Kenney Machinery Corporation, a family wholesale distribution company of agriculture and turf equipment. He was active in Rotary for many years and served as president for one term of his industry trade organization, the Outdoor Power Equipment Distributors Association (OPEDA).

He was an active member of Woodland Country Club in Carmel, Indiana, and Bonita Bay Club in Bonita Springs, where he practiced his lifelong love of golf, scored his only hole-in-one, and enjoyed time with his many friends. Jim also enjoyed watching sports. He was an ardent Chicago Cubs fan, celebrating their 2016 World Series championship, and an equally ardent IU sports fan, having followed their championship-winning basketball team for many years, and their first ever NCAA football championship in 2026.

Above all, Jim was devoted to his family. He is survived by his four sons: James M.(Mike) Kenney (Kristi) of Carmel, Indiana; Thomas V. Kenney (Dimitry Grushko) of Hastings-on-Hudson, New York; Douglas P. Kenney of Bonita Springs, Florida; and John E. Kenney (Kimberly) of Boca Raton, Florida. He also leaves behind eleven grandchildren—Alison (David), Emily, Michael, Claire, Paige, Ben, Samuel, Stuart, Jack, Will, and Ryan—and one great-grandchild, Brooklyn.

Jim was preceded in death by his beloved wife and lifelong love, Nancy V. Kenney, who passed away on September 8, 2016.

Visitation will be from 11:00 - 1:00 Saturday, April 18th at Our Lady of Peace Cemetery located at 9001 Haverstick Road, Indianapolis, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 1:00 also at Our Lady of Peace Cemetery. Interment will follow immediately after the mass at Our Lady of Peace Cemetery. Directly following the burial, a reception will be held at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse at 2727 E. 86th Street near the intersection with Keystone.

In lieu of flowers, the family of James Kenney requests donations be made to the Indiana University School of Medicine to support amyloidosis research in the Division of Cardiology. Please make memorial gifts payable to “IU Foundation – Cardiology Research” and mail to Indiana University School of Medicine, c/o IU Foundation, P.O. Box 7072, Indianapolis, IN 46207. Please indicate “In memory of James Kenney” in the memo line or on an attached note.