SHREVEPORT, LA- Services celebrating the life of John Earle Kennedy Jr. will be at 10 am Tuesday, August 19, at First United Methodist Church with Dr. Pat Day officiating. Burial with military honors will follow at Forest Park Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 pm Monday, August 18, at Rose-Neath Funeral Home Marshall Street Chapel.

Mr. Kennedy, a lifelong resident of Shreveport, died August 16, 2008. He was born December 13, 1920. An early achiever, he became an Eagle Scout at the age of 11, earned 56 merit badges and served as a student leader at the National Scout Jamboree in Washington, D.C. He attended C.E. Byrd High School, where he served as president of the Debating Club, which won many regional competitions. He was the first president of the National Honor Society at Byrd and a member of the Byrd Purple Jackets. He graduated in 1936 at the age of 16 as salutatorian in a class of 525 graduates, and was named Outstanding Cadet in ROTC. He also was awarded the Grover C. Kaufman Trophy for excellence in Mathematics. At the age of 16, he attended the Marion Military Institute in Alabama, where he placed second on the Dean's List and achieved the highest math scores ever recorded to date. In 1938, he was nominated for admission into the U.S, Military Academy by the late Congressman Overton Brooks. At 17, he was one of the youngest plebes. While at West Point, he served as chairman of the Honor Code Committee and was the reigning chess champion. He graduated with honors in 1942 at the age of 21, and was 15th in a class of 374. His senior class was the first to graduate into World War II and suffered the most casualties of any other class.

Mr. Kennedy served as a military officer in World War II from 1942-47. As the Engineer Reconnaissance Officer in General Patton's leading armored division, he led the advance from Normandy to Germany, and later served as Chief Operations Officer during the Battle of the Bulge, advancing to the Baltic Sea. He was captured by the Germans but managed to escape. He was honored for extraordinary heroism with a Silver Star, Bronze Star with V device and oak leaf cluster, a Purple Heart, American Defense Service Medal, American Campaign Medal WWII, Europe-Africa-Middle East Medal WWII, Victory Medal WWII, National Defense Service Medal, WWII Occupational Medal, Belgium Croix de Guerre, Netherlands Resistance Cross, Medal of Verdun, American Order of French Croix de Guerre, and a European Theatre of Operations Campaign ribbon with four stars.

After his military service, Mr. Kennedy returned to Shreveport and took over the family businesses. He served as president and CEO of Kennedy Supply Co., an auto parts warehouse distributor with branch stores, and a wholesale lumber company and wood-treating plant. He served as president of Automotive Southwest, Southern Pressure Treaters Association, the Louisiana Wood Preservers and Shreveport Rotary Club.

He remained active in the U.S. Military Reserves for many years, graduated salutatorian of the Command General Staff College and retired as a Colonel in 1968. He served on the board of the Norwela Council for the Boy Scouts of America, and was a member of the Shreveport Club, Petroleum Club, Shreveport Country Club and Pierremont Oaks Tennis Club. He was a longtime member of the First Methodist Church, where he regularly attended the early service. His parents were married there in 1917 and his aunt was the organist. He served on the Administrative Board for many years. A world-class champion bridge player with more than 8,300 masterpoints, he won the most prestigious bridge titles in North America - the Blue Ribbon Pairs and two Men's Pairs, as well as the Open Pairs in Shanghai, China, and placed third and sixth in the World Championships. In 1992 he was inducted into the Ark-La-Tex Sports Museum of Champions for these outstanding accomplishments. He served three times as president of the Shreveport Bridge Association. He loved visiting art museums during his extensive travels throughout the world. He was an avid fan of classical music and once served as guest conductor of the Shreveport Symphony. He particularly loved attending the symphony with his grandson Spencer.

Mr. Kennedy is survived by his wife of 46 years, Betty Ann Kelley Kennedy; two sons, John Earle Kennedy III of San Francisco and David Alexander Kennedy of Shreveport; stepson, James Floyd Welch II and family friend Linton Watson Carney of New Orleans; stepdaughter, Evangeline Lee Welch and husband Arin Richard Wiscomb of Greenbrae, CA; grandson, Spencer Todd Saxon Kennedy of Shreveport; niece, Jeannie Yearwood Mangham and husband James Mangham of Lithonia, GA; and longtime beloved employees Betty Boo Collins, Willis Bass and Val Stephenson of Shreveport.

He was preceded in death by his parents, John Earle Kennedy Sr. and Vida Arnold Kennedy of Shreveport, and one sister, Marie Louise Kennedy Yearwood of Shreveport.

Pallbearers are Dr. William Allums, William Cook, Dr. John Fisher, Thomas Gresham, O. Delton Harrison, Edward Henderson, Dan Lagrone, Bruce Lynn and Charlton H. Lyons. Jr.

The family requests that memorials be sent to First Methodist Church or to the charity of their choice. Rose-Neath Funeral Home

Marshall St. Chapel 222-0348