Patrick Edward Kennedy

He was preceded in death by his wife Ellen Therese Kennedy and his parents Angus and Blanche Kennedy. He is survived by his children Jennifer Kennedy and Karl Kennedy, his grandchildren Marin Alford and Angus Alford. He is also survived by his six siblings, Richard (Pauline) Kennedy, Carole Kasper, Jack (Sheila) Kennedy, Eileen (John) Hughes, Paul (Jeani) Kennedy, and James Kennedy and many nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was especially close to his nieces Donna Kennedy-Williams, Ellen Martinez, and Jackie Hughes.

Pat grew up in a big family in Detroit, Michigan and he also spent many summers in Port Austin at the family’s farm. He was interested in electronics and airplanes from a young age and showed a strong mechanical aptitude. He attended Henry Ford Trade School for high school where he learned machining, drafting, and the inner workings of an automobile factory.

Pat and his brother Richard spent much of their time and money on motorcycles. They loved to fix, ride, and race them whenever they had time. Pat also had a desire to travel to the magnificent west coast. He took two trips to Colorado and the Northwest to see the mountains and Pacific Ocean. In 1957, Pat enlisted in the United States Air Force. He was able to gain an extensive knowledge of aviation electronics while serving his country. An added benefit of his service was his return to Colorado and Oregon. He used his time off to travel with his motorcycle or his car and boat to explore the mountains, rivers, and lakes of the West. One of his favorite destinations during this time was Mount St. Helens and Spirit Lake where he was able to return later in life with his family.

Pat’s goal after the Air Force was to work in the burgeoning field of aerospace. A trip down the Pacific coast led him to one of the centers of this work in southern California. He quickly found a job at North American Aviation (later Rockwell) in 1961 and within a year was introduced to his future wife, Ellen who also worked at NAA. Pat and Ellen married in October of 1963 and soon welcomed a daughter and son. Pat worked in aerospace and continued his education in engineering and business. He earned degrees in mathematics, electrical engineering, and an MBA from California State University, Fullerton. He went on to work for other companies in the defense industry including Hughes Aircraft Company, McDonnell Douglas, and Boeing.

Pat and the family continued traveling taking many waterski trips to the Parker Strip of the Colorado River and sightseeing trips all over the western US. He traveled for business occasionally and made many trips back to Michigan.

Pat’s love of traveling never ended and in his last few years he visited Washington, Oregon, Idaho, New Mexico, Arizona, Michigan, Georgia, and North Carolina with his children. He especially loved boating on Lake Havasu, visiting the Mammoth area, and exploring the California coast.

Pat adored his grandchildren and was extremely proud of their accomplishments.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Patrick Kennedy can be made to Oak Canyon Nature Center (www.anaheimcf.org) or Crystal Cove Nature Conservancy (crystalcove.org/support), two of his favorite places.