E. William "Bill" Kennedy

Eugene William "Bill" Kennedy, age 83, died Thursday, September 4, 2025 at Ball Pavilion. He was born in Oil City, PA on March 20, 1942, and was one of two sons of the late Maybelle (Baum) Kennedy and William J. Kennedy.

Bill was educated by the Benedictine Sisters at St. Joseph Grade School and High School in Oil City, and received both his Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Gannon University. In 1969, he joined the Mercyhurst College faculty as an instructor of English. He became the first lay director of student affairs at Mercyhurst in 1970. He was chosen for the key administrative position to coincide with the implementation and transition that year of Mercyhurst from an all-girls' college to a coeducational institution. He was responsible for broadening student activities and resident halls expansion, and was later named Dean of Men with the recruitment of the college's first male students.

Bill devoted 39 years of his professional career in student development at Mercyhurst, 30 of which were spent on its main campus in Erie and nine years as learning style coordinator at its North East campus. He was a former college officer during his tenure on the main campus. He retired from Mercyhurst in 2008.

In 1985, while at the Erie Campus, he was named Vice President of the Glenhurst Corporation, a separate for-profit enterprise formed by Mercyhurst College, to allow and umbrella independent business endeavors pursued by the institution. Most prominent among these enterprises was the Laker Inn Restaurant at 1530 E. 38 St. The 130-seat restaurant was operated to showcase the culinary and management skills of Mercyhurst students in the Hotel-Restaurant program, then the largest single major at the college.

Bill was known for his quick wit, hearty laughter, love of English and Irish literature, and celebrating his Irish ancestry. Most important to him was his devotion to his family and to his second family at Mercyhurst, and the good friends he cultivated throughout his almost four decades at the college.

Bill was married for 48 years to Kathleen Ann (Januleski) Kennedy of Erie until her death on February 16, 2013. He then married June Blossey Kennedy in June of 2021, who recently passed away on February 11, 2025.He was also preceded in death by his brothers-in-law, Joseph "Norman" Januleski, Richard Januleski and Charles Harrington; sister-in-law, Mary Ann Harrington; and nephews, Timothy Harrington and Michael Januleski.

He is survived by two children, Sean Patrick of Erie and Jay Scott Kennedy and his wife, Carrie Ann Myers of Lakewood, Ohio; two stepdaughters, Natalie Johnson and husband, Steve and Dawn Masterson; two grandchildren, Bethanie and Amanda Masterson; his brother, Richard Kennedy and wife, Louise of West Palm Beach, Fla.; his other sisters-in-law, Peggy and Louella Januleski, both of Erie; one brother-in-law, Dennis Flaherty; and many nieces and nephews.

Friends may call at the Dusckas Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Inc., 2607 Buffalo Rd., on Saturday, September 13th, from 11 am until the time of the Funeral Service there at 1 pm. Interment will follow at Mary, Queen of Peace Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Mercyhurst University, 501 East 38th Street, Erie, PA 16546. Condolences may be sent to www.dusckasfuneralhomes.com.