George Danner Kennedy

George Danner Kennedy of Winnetka – family man extraordinaire, prominent leader of the business and philanthropic communities, bon vivant, and wicked wit – died peacefully June 27. He was 96. Born in Pittsburgh, his long life journey produced strong ties to New York City, Western Massachusetts, Louisville, Ky., and many other places. Upon completing study at New Hampton School in New Hampshire, he trained as a naval aviator and was preparing to deploy overseas when the Second World War ended in 1945. He completed his education on the G.I. Bill, proudly graduating from Williams College in 1948. George immediately embarked upon a storied career in business. He served as an executive at numerous companies before arriving at his defining career stop, becoming CEO of Northbrook-headquartered International Mineral & Chemical Corp. in 1978. He oversaw a series of mergers and acquisitions that eventually created one of the largest pharmaceutical and agricultural products companies in the country under the banner of Mallinckrodt Corp., a member of the Fortune and S&P 500s. He served on the boards of many other prominent brands, among them Brunswick Corporation, the Kemper family of companies, SCM Group, and Scotsman Industries. George was fiercely dedicated to leveraging his business success for the benefit of his community. Among the charitable and artistic causes of which he had been a board member and major benefactor: the Boy Scouts of America, Children's Memorial Hospital of Chicago, the Sand County Foundation, the Lyric Opera, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Clark Art Institute of Williamstown, Mass., the Williamstown Theatre Festival, and the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Mass. He is survived by wife Valerie (née Putis), children Charles (Karen Suhrhoff), Jamey (Allan Reiss), Susan (Chris Edler) and Timothy Christian (Aerica), and eight adoring grandchildren. He was preceded in death by son George D. "Dan" Kennedy, Jr. in 1987, and by beloved brothers Thomas, J. Tyson and Robert. Of the great many people and places George touched in his life, almost all were the better for it. Per his wishes, George's life will be celebrated at a service for family only, on a date to be determined. Friends wishing to make charitable donations in George's memory are asked to do so to the Parkinson Foundation (parkinson.org).