- Date Of Birth: September 2, 1967
- Date Of Death: January 28, 2022
- State: Minnesota
Jay Marlin Kennedy, 54, of Walker, Minnesota passed away peacefully on Friday, January 28th, 2022, surrounded by his family. He was born on September 2nd, 1967, in Bemidji, MN, the son of Jim and Judy (Heathman) Kennedy.
Jay grew up in Walker and graduated from Walker Hackensack High School in 1986. During high school he joined the US Army Reserves and served in the Walker and Mankato units until his discharge in 1992. Jay was employed as a civil engineer technician with Blue Earth County until returning to Walker in 1993 to work for the Cass County Highway Department.
Jay made friends wherever he went, starting with his cousins, who remained lifelong friends, classmates, neighbors, co-workers, fellow parents at school or sporting events and really anyone who crossed his path. He enjoyed being social and always had a joke or a story to make you laugh.
Jay’s greatest joy was his children. He never missed a school function or sporting event. Jay coached hockey, refereed basketball, was a member of the football “chain gang” for many years, he also taught firearm safety class. He was known to grill his ‘special’ brats for the coaching staff at soccer and track events. Jay also enjoyed volunteering at hockey, basketball, and soccer tournaments.
Jay was an avid outdoorsman, he enjoyed fishing, hunting deer and grouse and 4-wheeling with his friends and family. He taught his kids to respect nature and enjoy the outdoors. He loved the process of smoking meat and enjoyed this time with his buddies.
Jay will be dearly missed by his wife, Barb, children, Brenna (Ryan) Peterson, Connor Kennedy and Alexa Kennedy; granddaughter, Kennedy Lorraine Peterson; parents, Jim and Judy Kennedy; sisters, Jammie (Greg) Hedlund and Jodie Dessellier; parents’ in-law, Milt and Kathy Jones; brother in-law, Jason Jones; sister in-law, Amy Jones; many aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and special friends.
Preceding Jay in death are his infant son, Jace; grandparents, Lloyd and Alice Kennedy; Henry and Shirley Heathman and Sophie Heathman.
