Kemble Kenneth Kennedy, Jr.

Kemble Kenneth Kennedy, Jr., of Brandon, Mississippi, passed away peacefully at home on Friday, January 24, 2025, at the age of 92. He was born April 7, 1932, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, the only child of Kemble Kenneth Kennedy, Sr. and Madge Evans Sims Kennedy. He graduated from Baton Rouge High. His initial intention was to follow in his father’s footsteps and pursue a law degree, but those plans were altered and he went on to finish his undergraduate degree at LSU in 1954 in Animal Industry. He was a member of Kappa Alpha and Alpha Zeta. He served as Regimental Commander of the Army ROTC at LSU and thus lived in the LSU Stadium (The Rock), where all freshmen were required to stay at that time. He was a Distinguished Military graduate and was appointed 2nd Lieutenant in the US Army Reserve. He remained an avid LSU fan all his life.

In 1955, KK was called to active duty and was assigned to the 101st Airborne Infantry at Ft. Jackson, SC. He was promoted to 1st Lieutenant and taught weapons courses. In 1957, he was discharged from active duty and re-assigned as Company Commander of the Reserve Unit in Kentwood, LA, where he became a Captain in 1961. He loved his country and felt a deep sense of duty to it.

He married Shirley Joyce McMillan on October 30, 1954, and believed until his last day that she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen – something that he was only too keen to tell everyone he met. Together, they had four children, and they lived in Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana and Springfield, Missouri, before moving to Brandon, Mississippi, to be closer to some of his wife’s family.

After discharge from the Service, he returned to Tangipahoa Parish and ran the family dairy farm - 3K Acres - for the next 27 years. He was Dairyman of the Year many times involving his wife and children in all phases and served as President of the Tangipahoa Parish Farm Bureau Association and served on its Board of Directors for 26 years. He had a full life and taught Sunday School at the First Baptist Church of Kentwood, was a Scoutmaster of the Boy Scouts in Kentwood, and was secretary of the Florida Parishes Farm Services, Inc., a farmers’ co-op. His son, Kemble, took over the reins of the family farm as Mr. Kennedy’s career path led him into law enforcement as a Deputy in the Tangipahoa Sheriff’s office in 1980 for 13 years. Upon retirement, he was able to actively and passionately pursue genealogy, which he continued even after publishing a Kennedy family book and donating documentation back to Huey P. Long to the LSU Archives as well as Louisiana Tech.

Mr. Kennedy is preceded in death by his parents, Kemble Kennedy, Sr. and Madge Kennedy; daughter, Kimberly Kennedy; son, Kemble Kenneth Kennedy, III; and grandson, Kemble Kenneth Kennedy, IV.

He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Shirley McMillan Kennedy; daughter, Karen Coscia (Robert) of Keller, Texas; son, Keith Kennedy (Melissa) of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; grandchildren, Lindsey, Kathryn (Ryan), Peyton, Kimberly, Ashley, Michael, Brittany, and Victoria; and one great grandchild, Samantha…and all his genealogical legacies.

The family wishes to thank NeNe Simmons, Christy Edwards, and John Smith for their many kindnesses and dedicated care.