H. Wesley Kenney

January 3, 1926 - January 13, 2015 H. Wesley Kenney Jr., beloved husband, father, grandfather and friend, passed away on January 13, 2015. He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Heather North Kenney, 4 children and spouses, 7 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren. Wesley loved his family, his work and career, his friends and sports. He had a huge sense of humor, a loud voice, a plethora of stories, and a kind heart. Wesley was born January 3, 1926 in Dayton, Ohio to Harry W. Kenney Sr. and Minnie Ruth (Mimi) Keeton. He grew up happy and active in Dayton, where his father was a division manager at Dayton Rubber Company. He participated in drama, played sports, and especially loved football. Growing up his father took him to Columbus, Ohio to see Ohio State University play football and he became a life long fan. After high school, Wesley enlisted in the Navy during World War II. He served on the USS Cocopa in the Pacific, and upon returning home from duty was accepted at Carnegie Institute of Technology in Pittsburgh, PA. He attended the Drama School and played football. He graduated from Carnegie Tech and was hired for his first job as a television director with the Dumont Television Network in New York City. There, he married Kathryn (Kay) Snure and they had 3 children. Later, Wesley's career brought him to Los Angeles, CA. While at first uneasy about moving to the west coast, he was thrilled with the climate that allowed him to play fast pitch softball and tennis for many years. He enjoyed success in his industry, earning 19 career Emmy nominations while taking home the trophy 7 times. His work included stints as a director and executive producer on shows such as Days of Our Lives, The Young and the Restless, General Hospital, and All in the Family (including the episode that launched The Jeffersons). During his work on Days of our Lives Wesley met and married actress Heather North. They have one son. After retirement Wesley went on to teach Television Production at UCLA for 15 years. Annually, he would claim that "this was the last year," but his love of teaching and the students kept him going back. Wesley will be dearly missed by his wife Heather, children; Nina Mecham, H.Wesley Kenney III, Kara Ricard and Kevin Kenney, as well as his other family members. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to Native American Children Charities or the Food Pantry at the First Christian Church of North Hollywood. A memorial service will be held at First Christian Church of North Hollywood in February.