Daniel Robin Kennedy

1955 - 2021

DANIEL ROBIN KENNEDY 3/29/1955 7/12/21 Daniel Robin Kennedy was born to Viola and Robin Kennedy in Auburn, California in 1955. In his youth he resided in Loomis, California where he attended DelOro High School. During his high school career Dan was on the All-America football team and made lifelong friends. After High School he attended Sierra College and the University of Nevada with a focus on geology. In 1980 Dan relocated to the town of Paradise where he began his family and career. He built a flourishing business and loved the rural community, especially the tall pines and oaks on his property. He loved to take his three young daughters to remote forest locations so they could explore and see all nature had to offerand the long drives to sites were a great excuse to play his music loudly on the car stereo. Dan was a big man with a big personality and many passions. He remained active in the mineral community and became a board member of the Rice Museum of Rocks and Minerals. He was passionate about seeing the world, a love he discovered when his mother, Viola, showed him National Geographic as a child. He had recently taken a trip to Iceland to see an active volcano and afterward he declared it was the most amazing experience he had in his life. He was also passionate about music and could often be found with Pink Floyd, Annie Lennox or Supertramp playing through the house while he enjoyed a cigar in the backyard. His home on the ridge was truly part of his soul and in 2018 when the CampFire hit he couldn't bring himself to leave. Dan, his wife Rhonda and their neighbor Ron Pickard fought the fire with the little resources they had on hand. While he was proud to have been able to save his home, it was a harrowing experience that changed his life forever. In the last two and a half years Dan had been dedicated to rebuilding the ridge and replacing the trees that he loved so much. Above all else Dan regarded family tradition as sacred. Whether that was making his mothers spaghetti recipe for Sunday dinner, finding the perfect Christmas tree, or the annual vacation to Dillon Beach with his children and grandchildren. His favorite place was being with his family and continuing the legacies that came before him. His family is honored to be carrying on those traditions in his absence for many generations to come. Daniel is preceded in death by his parents Robin and Viola Kennedy, his sister Juedi Kleindienst, and his granddaughter Emerald Jenkins. He is survived by his wife of twenty-one years Rhonda Kennedy, his daughters Morgan Kennedy, Shelby Beck, Auburn Menefee, stepson Sean Mason, first wife Betsy Cornelius, his sister Maureen Hood, niece and nephew Amber Kirkley and Andy Kleindienst, and his beloved grandchildren, Cooper, Cash, Echo and Cali. He also leaves behind countless friends which he treasured. A public celebration of life will be held for Dan on August 21st 2021 at Chapelle de L'Artiste in Paradise, California at 11:00am. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation towards the planting of a redwood tree in honor of Dan in the center of the new Hope Plaza in Paradise, California. This can be done at www.hopeplazaparadise.com