More detail on this person: Vernon Wilson
Kennedy, Jr., 65, passed away Saturday, April 28,
2012 at University Hospital, Cleveland following
complications of bile duct cancer. Vernon was born
January 6, 1947 in Washington, D.C. The second of
three children born to Vernon and Elean Kennedy.
He was a graduate of Surrattsville Senior High
School in Clinton, Maryland, class of 1964.
He attended the University of Maryland prior to
being drafted into the United States Army, on
February 14th 1967. Vernon married his high school
sweetheart Mary Vastine on April 21st, 1967. He
went on to attend Engineering Officer Candidate
School and Flight school before serving in Vietnam
in 1969. Upon returning from Nam he served in
Korea as a helicopter pilot earning the rank of
captain. He served 6 and 1/2 years active duty and
6 and 1/2 years as a member of the Army
Reserves. Upon leaving the service Vernon put his
knowledge of helicopters to use in a career in
helicopter sales. He worked for various companies
including Agusta, Bell, Sikorsky and McDonald
Douglas. It was while working with McDonald
Douglas that a crash forced Vernon to change the
direction of his career to Aviation Insurance. In
addition to sales and insurance he owned and
operated a helicopter flight school in Hawaii and
then sold cars in Delaware, Florida and Ohio. For
the past 15 years Mary and Vern have lived in Coco
Beach, FL where they owned and operated the
Surfside Café. He retired in 2003.
Vernon's first love was family but also loved
flying and was an avid sports and outdoorsman. He
enjoyed with his wife, scuba diving in Hawaii, the
Caribbean as well as Central and South America.
They also enjoyed horseback and motorcycle riding
together. He was an avid reader and enjoyed travel
and visiting with friends. He found thrills in
parachuting and enjoyed hunting, but his passion
was fishing. His boat was named The Last Call. He
spent countless hours on the water with friends
and family. He once won a fishing tournament in
which the grand prize was a new pickup truck.
Vernon is survived by his wife Mary and his
beloved children Deborah Ann Romine (Shane) of
Bowling Green, KY, Vernon W., III (Ann) of
Hilliard, OH, John Edward of Lahaina, HI and Mary
Kathryn "Kate" Clark (Joshua) of Quincy, FL. Other
survivors include four grandchildren Samantha and
Lucas Romine and Bobby and Danny Kennedy. He
is also survived by sister Ann Sturgill (Rufus).
He is preceded in death by his parents Vernon and
Elean Kennedy and sister Judy Kennedy.
Private memorial services will be held.
Obituary from Busch Funeral and Crematory
http://buschfuneral.tributes.com/
This information was last updated 06/19/2016
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Date posted on this site: 03/10/2024
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