John Raymond Kenney

Surrounded by his loving family, John Raymond Kenney, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend, passed away Thursday, August 27, 2015, in Bountiful, Utah, after a lingering illness. John was born August 24, 1927 in Loveland, Ohio, a son of Walter and Reva Stacy Kenney. He was raised in Ohio, in Chicago and various parts of the Southeast United States. He entered military service in 1946 with the U.S. Army Air Corps (now the U.S. Air Force). While serving in the Philippines, he met the future love of his life, Paula Concepcion Lozano, and they were married October 22, 1949 in the Assumption Cathedral of San Fernando, Pampanga, Philippines.
    After leaving military service, John remained in the Far East where he began a U.S. Civil Services career that included management positions in the Philippines, Thailand, French Ido-China (now Viet Nam), Taiwan, Indonesia, Burma and Okinawa prior to returning to the United States.
    Returning from overseas in February of 1959, he continued his Civil Service career at Olmsted Air Force Base in Pennsylvania, where he held several key logistics and material management positions related to military assistance.
    In August of 1965, he was assigned to Hill Air Force Base in Utah, as Deputy Chief, Aerospace Reconnaissance and Photographic Division. During his years at Hill AFB, he held numerous management positions in the areas of logistics, airmunitions and aircraft systems, all within the Directorate of Material Management. At the time of his retirement, he was Deputy Chief, Aircraft Division, Directorate Contracting and Manufacturing for the Ogden Air Logistics Center. He managed more than 100 military and civilian personnel with the responsibility for procurement of all aircraft landing gear systems, wheels, brakes and tires, aircraft mods, repair and engineering services, as well as all airframes, structural and airborne spare parts for the F-4, RF-4 and F-16 fighter jets.
    Over his career, John received numerous commendations and performance awards, and in June of 1982 U.S. Secretary of Defense Casper W. Weinberger presented him with the Distinguished Civilian Service Award, the most prestigious honor given by the U.S. Department of Defense.
    John lived a full and active life and was devoted to his wife and family. His hobbies included, bowling (as a younger many he once fell two pins short of the perfect 300 game), new cars and travel. He loved to “hit the open road”, and over the years he and Paula traveled throughout the United States and overseas. They managed to attend virtually all of their grandchildren’s high school graduations, baptisms and weddings, even though they were spread throughout several states. He also spent a lot of time during retirement connecting with his grandchildren on Facebook.
    John and Paula loved living in Bountiful, where they reared their five children. All of the neighbors dearly love the Kenney’s. John is survived by Paula; their children: Margaret (Don) Rae, Boise, Idaho; John Jr. (Mary Tyson) , Escondido, California; Barbara (David) Rae, Monroe, Oregon; Robert (Shannon Penson), Boise, Idaho; and Michael (Sheila Popeck), Mesa, Arizona. Also surviving are 18 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, a brother Walter Kenney and a sister, Betty Groomes.
    The family expresses appreciation to Dr. Val Hansen, Dr. William Sadler and the oncologist’s at the Huntsman Cancer Center, as well as, the physical therapists and others at the Bountiful Life Care Center where John spent his last week.
    A funeral mass honoring John is scheduled for Saturday, September 12, 2015 at 7:00 p.m. at St. Olaf Catholic Church, 276 East 1700 South, Bountiful, Utah. There will be no viewing. A dinner reception and celebration of his life will follow the services. In lieu of flowers, please make your donation to St. Olaf Catholic Church.