Beverly - John Richard Kennedy, a beloved partner, father, friend and neighbor, died on May 3, 2026 at the age of 80, after a 13 month battle with cancer.

He was born on July 12, 1945 in Pueblo, Colorado, to Harold Kennedy and Fae Hill Kennedy. He had two older siblings, Elaine Zavislan and Jim Kennedy, all of whom grew up in Pueblo together.

John graduated from Pueblo Central High School in 1963. He went on to earn a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting at the University of Washington in Seattle, graduating in 1967. John began work at Touche, Ross, Bailey, and Smart first in Denver and then in Colorado Springs, before being transferred to Tokyo from 1969 to 1972. In 1972, John transferred to the Philadelphia office where he stayed until 1974. In 1974, John began employment at the Bank of Boston in the international division, eventually earning the title of Senior Financial Officer. During his time at Bank of Boston, John traveled extensively, developing transnational relationships in Latin America and Asia. John remained at Bank of Boston through several mergers and acquisitions until he left in the mid 1990s. It was at this point, just after turning 50 and buying a cherry-lipstick Mazda Miata as a "mid-life crisis", that he decided to go to culinary school to pursue his passion for food. John graduated from the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts in 2002, and earned the title of "Chef." Soon after, he began a food business named after his long-time group of Massachusetts Northshore-based friends, Marching and Chowder. Marching and Chowder was an award-winning Boston-area takeout and catering service, and was featured on Food Network's Recipe for Success in 2004. Recognized by Boston Magazine as one of the best takeout spots in the city, the convenience-focused eatery allowed commuters to grab fresh, high-quality, pre-made meals and hot New England chowder before hopping on their evening trains. After closing the business in 2004, John worked as a Consultant at Global Atlantic Partners until 2013, continuing to develop relationships with clients and colleagues, until he formally retired. Being bored at home in retirement, John found a "retirement job" around 2020 working at the local Trader Joe's stocking shelves and bagging groceries. He loved the culture there, and his young colleagues.

On September 10, 1966, John married Annette Lovelace Kennedy, a student at another Pueblo high school. The couple enjoyed forty years of marriage, until they divorced in 2006. They had three sons together: James Derek, John Patrick, and Thomas Ryan. The family lived in Japan, Philadelphia, Beverly, Manchester-by-the-Sea, and then Lexington, MA. While John never remarried, he moved to Michigan in his last year of life to be with his partner, Judith Keefer, full-time.

John sought to build and nurture friendships and had a strong and loving group of friends. John loved to cook, with some of his specialties including Super Bowl Sunday Stew, Tora Tora, Tonkatsu, Potica, and taco salad. John's timing in meal preparation was spot on, and he never got rattled when making a holiday feast. John loved to travel, and he passed his adventurous spirit along to his sons. John gave his time, compassion, and financial skills to many volunteer efforts, including serving on the board of directors of Beaverbrook STEP which provides community living and housing services for those living with disabilities in the Boston area. It was a passion for which he had a personal investment, as his son Patrick was diagnosed with severe autism at a young age.

John is survived by his partner, Judith, his sons Tom, Patrick, and Derek along with his wife, Nona Lim, and John's granddaughter Elizabeth; his sister-in-law, Revelie and his many nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life will be held on August 9, 2026, in Beverly, MA.

To make a donation in John's memory, please consider making a tax-deductible contribution to Beaverbrook STEP at: https://www.beaverbrookstep.org/donations_help.html