Vilma Kennedy Pallette

Vilma Kennedy Pallette, 93, died peacefully at Good Samaritan Hospital in San Jose, California. A native of San Francisco, Vilma was the daughter of William John Kennedy, D.D.S., and Rita Kennedy nee Pantera. She graduated from Stanford University, to which she remained fervently devoted for her entire life, including as an active member of its alumni association.

Vilma ardently committed her professional career and much of her personal time to education and public service. She trained as an elementary school teacher at San Jose State University and enjoyed teaching in various parts of the United States, especially in Texas, as she accompanied her husband in the early stages of his career. As Junior League President in Los Angeles, she gained national acclaim for her role in managing the recruitment and monitoring of the 32,000 volunteers who supported the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, for which President Ronald Reagan honored her with the Presidential National Volunteerism Award at a White House Ceremony in 1985. A decade later, she served as director of volunteer services for the 23,000 volunteers to the 1994 FIFA World Cup held in the United States. In addition, she made significant impacts in leadership and volunteer-management roles to the Stanford Medical Youth Science Advisory Board, the Boys Republic, the Santa Clara County Juvenile Justice Commission, the San Jose Sesquicentennial Celebration, the Morgan Autism Center, the Santa Clara University Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, the Santa Clara City Council Committee on Charter Revision, and the Child Advocates Board of Directors, The African Library Project, among many other charitable organizations.

Vilma cared passionately about her family and her friends. She was predeceased by Edward Pallette, M.D., her husband of forty years, and their two daughters, Cynthia and Jill. She is survived by her first cousins Gloria Hollingsworth nee Seghieri of Tempe, Arizona, and James Pantera of Moraga, California.