James R. "Duke" Kennedy

Duke was born on January 3, 1936 to the late Robert M. Kennedy and Jane Cooke Kennedy, grew up in Nashville and graduated from Montgomery Bell Academy in 1954. He continued his education at Vanderbilt University and spent 2 years serving in the US Navy. He spent many years in the insurance business, most of his service with the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance where he was a field financial examiner traveling all throughout the country for over 20 years. Duke is most known for his work at Cumberland Heights where he promoted the patient assistance fund for over 15 years and assisted countless recovering addicts as teacher, counselor and friend. He inspired others through sharing his personal story, not to draw attention to himself but to let them know that if they ever needed his help, he would walk beside them or their family member on the road to a new fulfilling life in recovery. For this work he was awarded the Mary Katherine Strobel Direct Service Volunteer of the Year and Volunteer Fundraiser of the Year as part of National Philanthropy Day.

He served as an honorary lifetime member of the Cumberland Heights Board of Directors, a member of the West End Sertoma Club and he was a volunteer chaplain at St. Thomas Midtown (formerly Baptist) Hospital. He was a member of West End United Methodist Church where he served as an usher for over 20 years.

Duke is survived by his loving wife, Mary Neal Kennedy, his children, Susan Kennedy Cowden (Steve), Robert Brooks Kennedy (Betsy); grandchildren Robert (Bo) Brooks Kennedy, Jr., Clare Frances Kennedy, Stephen Douglas (Duke) Cowden and Paula Katherine Cowden; sisters Teddy Olsen (Greg) and Katherine Holzapfel (Edward); four step children and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents Robert M. Kennedy and Jane Cooke Kennedy and his sister Jane Brown.

A Celebration of Life will be held at West End United Methodist Church at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 26, 2014. The family will visit with friends prior to the service from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. in Reed Hall at the church.

The Pallbearers will be Marshall T. Polk, John Craig, John Thorpe, Robert Calton, William Bainbridge, Richard Anderson, Wade Lipscomb and Stephen Benson.

Honorary Pallbearers include The Tanners Breakfast Group, the Cokesbury Sunday School Class at West End United Methodist Church, Staff at Cumberland Heights, Montgomery Bell Academy Class of 1954, and the users at West End United Methodist Church.

Memorial gifts may be given to The Duke Kennedy Patient Assistance Fund at Cumberland Heights or to West End United Methodist Church.

Arrangements under the direction of Marshall Donnelly Combs Funeral Home, Nashville, Tennessee.