Duncan Cruickshanks Kennedy III

1938 - 2006

Duncan Cruickshanks Kennedy III
Duncan Cruickshanks Kennedy III, formerly of Lynchburg, died peacefully at age 68, Friday, Aug. 4, 2006, at Hospice of the Chesapeake, Annapolis, Md. Death was due to complications from acute myolitic leukemia and Wegener's Granulomatosis, an auto-immune inflammatory vasculitis first diagnosed in 2003.
Born in Lynchburg, May 20, 1938, Duncan "Putt" Kennedy was the son of Duncan and Ann Kennedy of Parkland Drive. Mr. Kennedy was a prominent executive with Appalachian Power Company in Lynchburg, and Roanoke, and chairman of Lynchburg and Roanoke School Boards in the 1960's. Duncan and Ann Kennedy were members of First Presbyterian Church and instrumental in founding Westminster-Canterbury of Lynchburg. Ann Kennedy was a noted ceramicist and community volunteer.
Young Duncan completed E.C. Glass High School, class of 1956. He graduated from Virginia Tech in 1961, as an ROTC co-op student with a BSEE (Electrical Engineering). From 1961 to 1963, he was stationed at Fort Monmouth, N.J., U.S. Army Signal Corps, where he participated in developing and launching early communication satellites.
After his honorable discharge, Mr. Kennedy returned to Lynchburg, as a sales engineer at General Electric Mobile Radio Division 1963 to 1969. In 1969, he was transferred to London as Regional Sales Manager for Europe, Africa & Middle East, GE Mobile Radio Division. In 1975 he returned to the USA as International Sales Manager, Harris Corporation, RF Communications, Rochester, N.Y.
In 1979, realizing a long-held dream to start his own business, Duncan Kennedy founded Genesee Business Radio Systems, a dispatch radio sales and repeater rental business in Rochester, N.Y. Over the next 25 years, he and associates founded successful interlocking communications companies throughout western New York. He was major partner and president of Allstate Mobile Communications Corp, president of Pinnacle Hill Associates and managing partner of Western New York SMR Net, all based in Rochester. From 1994 to 2004, he served as Vice Chair, Council of Independent Communication Suppliers (CICS), a national advisory board to the Industrial Telecommunications Association (ITA).
Mr. Kennedy joined Rotary International in 1981, and served as president of the Brighton (N.Y.) Club in 1989-90. A dedicated Scout Master in Lynchburg and Rochester, he held a Professional Engineer license (VA) 1968 to 1997, and was a member of IEEE 1960-2000. His hobbies included fishing, travel, golf, genealogy, arts & community service.
In 1995, the Kennedys moved to Annapolis, where he continued managing his businesses and consulting with the Federal Communications Commission. He was active in Parole (Annapolis) Rotary, Entrepreneurs Exchange, SCORE chapter #390, and St. Anne's Episcopal Church.
Married in 1962, Duncan Kennedy and his wife, Nancie Roop Kennedy of Richmond, have two sons, Duncan C. Kennedy IV, with his wife, Amanda Box of Orlando, Fla., and Scott C. Kennedy, with his wife, Kourtney of San Diego, Calif. Their first grandchild is due in late October and will be named McKayla Elizabeth Kennedy. Mr. Kennedy is survived by his sisters, Elizabeth Kennedy Thomas, Richmond, Ellen Kennedy Turner, Charlottesville, and Martha Kennedy Albertson, Lewisville, N.C.
Saturday, Aug. 12, following a private ceremony for immediate family in the columbarium garden of First Presbyterian Church, the Kennedys will receive friends from 3 to 5 p.m. at Westminster-Canterbury on VES Road.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memory of Duncan C. Kennedy III to benefit Hospice of the Chesapeake www.hospicechesapeake.com or the Vasculitis Foundation www.vasculitisfoundation.org or a favorite charity.