Captain Joseph Thomas Kennedy (US Navy, Ret.) was born in Boston, Massachusetts on November 1, 1937, and passed away in Lauderdale By the Sea, Florida on December 10, 2022 after complications from surgery.
He is survived by three children, CAPT Christopher Kennedy (USN Ret.) and his wife Robin of Virginia Beach, VA, Robert Kennedy and his wife Stephanie of Stanley, NC, Dr. Carole Ivey and her husband David, of Midlothian, VA, and 7 grandchildren, and 4 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his cousin, Russell Lindsay and his wife Sally of Ocean City, NJ.
Raised in Philadelphia, PA and then Somers Point, NJ, he was a 1955 graduate of Ocean City High School where he was a four-sport varsity athlete in football, basketball, baseball, and track. Joe was the leading scorer on the 1954-1955 team, winning the state basketball championship. When he graduated 67 years ago, he was the all-time leading career scorer in school history and still ranks in the top 25. He was named to the OCHS All-Century teams in both basketball and baseball and was inducted into the Ocean City High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2021.
He graduated from LaSalle University. After college graduation he went on to law school at Villanova University. After one year of law school, he realized that practicing law was not his calling. Drafted to serve in the Army, he instead enlisted in the U.S. Navy and attended Officer Candidate School. This led to his serving for over 30 years, specializing in Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Mine Warfare. Senior Naval positions include Commanding the Naval Weapons Station Yorktown, Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Center, the Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal School, and the Atlantic Fleet EOD Forces. During this time, he also received master’s degrees from both the Naval War College and Central Michigan University.
Joe will be remembered for being a devoted husband to his wife Lynne of 57 years, a caring father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, and an exemplary leader and mentor. A burial with Military Honors will be scheduled later in Arlington National Cemetery.
