Henry Charles Kennedy

Husband, father, and lovingly called "Papa", Henry (Hank) C. Kennedy, 83 of Broken Arrow, OK, passed away peacefully after a lengthy battle of cancer on September 6, 2023. He is preceded in death by his mother Mabel, father Henry, and brother John.

Born June 6, 1940, in Chicago, IL, to Henry Christopher and Mabel Kennedy (nee Baker), he was the third of five children. His family moved from Chicago to Streator, IL where he was raised. Growing up, he enjoyed playing baseball and basketball. One of his earliest jobs was delivering papers to the home of someone who would become the love of his life and wife. Hank and Jean went onto become high school sweethearts. Hank graduated from Streator High School in 1958. Following high school, he attended Creighton University in Omaha, NE, where he obtained a bachelor's in business and finance and was a member of ROTC. Upon graduation from Creighton, he served as an officer for two years in the United States Army.

Following the Army, Henry started his career with Phillips Petroleum. He married his beautiful bride, Jean Frances Samorajski, on July 9, 1966. His job at Phillips would relocate them around the country eight times. It was in Waukesha, WI, where the first of their three daughters, Kathleen, was born. Their second daughter, Cynthia, was born in Atlanta, GA, and the third daughter, Courtney, in Houston, TX. After his 27-year career with Phillips, he relocated back to Broken Arrow, OK, where he worked as an insurance benefit enrollment specialist. He retired in 2020 at the age of 80.

Hank was a man of faith, who loved his family, enjoyed spending time with his four grandchildren, took pleasure being outdoors, traveling, and was very proud of his nearly perfect credit score!

Hank is survived by his wife, Jean Kennedy of Broken Arrow, OK, his daughter Kathleen Kennedy of Norman, OK, daughter Cynthia Kennedy and Carl Stamm of Boston, MA, and daughter Courtney Kennedy Jackson and Staci Jackson of Dallas, TX; grandchildren Channing, Lucas, Vivian, and Jordan; sisters Mary Trigsted, Catherine Blakemore, and Helen Morgan of Streator, IL; and many nieces and nephews.

A funeral mass in celebration of his life will be held at 5 PM Tuesday, September 12, 2023, at St. Anne's Catholic Church in Broken Arrow, OK. A private committal service will be held at Fort Gibson National Cemetery at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, September 13, 2023 where Hank will be laid to rest with military honors. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to John 3:16 Mission or Boys Town.

Go Dad/Hank...you came in under budget! ;)