WHITE RIVER JCT., VT — Herbert G. “Herb” Kennedy, 89 died unexpectedly, December 6, 2018 at the Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH.
He was born May 10, 1929 in Chelsea, VT the son of Glenn E. and Dorothy H. (Austin) Kennedy. Dorothy passed away when Herbert was 11 years-old. Glenn was then remarried to Mildred (Austin) and together they raised a family of 11 children. Herb attended schools in Strafford and Chelsea.
Herb was no stranger to hard work; in his day, it was part of the culture. As a youngster he had to quit school to help with the family farm. As a teen-ager he spent numerous hours working in the woods with his Uncle Putt.
On October 16, 1954 he married Mabel Stockwell of Tunbridge, VT. They lived in North Hartland, VT during which time Herb worked for Cone Automatic Machine Company as a truck driver. They then moved to Chelsea when Herb was offered a job working at E. H. Kennedy’s Garage on the north end of town. Chelsea became their hometown where Herb and Mabel raised their family. They were later divorced. Their family not only included their own four children but numerous children from the Vermont Fresh Air Program as well as the Vermont Foster Care system.
In the mid-sixties Herb worked for the Chelsea Public School district as both a custodian and a bus driver. Many were the stories that came home regarding this child or that…. “late again today.”….”wouldn’t get on the bus.”… “kid’s mother confronted me at school.” Be they class field trips or music band trips, Kennedy enjoyed driving and the kids enjoyed him.
In the early seventies Kennedy purchased the red garage building and had it moved to its present location on Upper Village Road. There he operated Herbert’s Garage for several years. He was an active pit crew member for several family racers including brother-in-laws Chester and Lennie Stockwell, son Dean Kennedy and nephew Kip Stockwell. In the early to mid-nineties, Kennedy continued to turn wrenches working at Stockwell’s Garage in Braintree, VT.
On February 7, 1998 he married Esther Reed. They lived all their married life in White River Jct., VT with their favorite pet pomeranian, Wickett.
Herb had been a member of the Rough Road Runners, Frigid Frost Fighter Snowmachine Club and an Antique Tractor Club. He was a ‘Jack of all Trades’ that enjoyed helping his friends and neighbors. Mowing lawns, shoveling walks and roofs, raking leaves – he loved the outdoors. Woodworking and carpentry were also in his list of skills and passions.
He is survived by two daughters, Dale (Kennedy) Post of South Royalton, VT and Ann Kennedy of Braintree, VT, two sons, Dean Kennedy of Tunbridge, VT and Denis “Jo” Kennedy of Belmont, NH, a step-son, Roger Downing of Hartland, VT, 19 grandchildren, 23 great grandchildren, two brothers, Paul Kennedy of Barre, VT and Clayton Kennedy of Chelsea, VT, five sisters, Dorothy Carrier of Washington, VT, Victoria Stone of Brookfield, VT, Lois Carey, of Wendell, MA, Viola Moran of Chelsea, VT and Peggy Hunt, of Washington, VT, and several nieces, nephews and cousins. He was predeceased by his parents, his wife, Esther Reed on November 9, 2012, two brothers, Albert Kennedy and Clifford Kennedy and a sister, Ella Emerson.
Calling hours will be held, Sunday, December 16, 2018 at 6-8pm at the Boardway and Cilley Funeral Home, 300 VT RT 110, Chelsea, VT. A funeral service will be held Monday, December 17, 2018 at 3 PM at the United Church of Chelsea, Chelsea, VT.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the, Upper Valley Humane Society, 300 Old Route 10, Enfield, NH 03748.
A private message of sympathy for the family may be shared at www.boardwayandcilley.com. Arrangements are under the direction of the Boardway and Cilley Funeral Home in Chelsea, Vermont.