Daniel Kennedy

Daniel Paul Kennedy was born on February 2, 1949 in Butte, Montana to Helen and Allen Kennedy. His family moved to Houghton, Michigan in 1953 so that his father could attend Michigan School of Mines. The family lived in Negaunee, Michigan for a time, moved to Copper Hills, Tennessee and back to Houghton, Michigan around 1957.

Dan graduated from Houghton High School in 1967. It was in the Pilgrim River near his home that Dan honed his skills and developed a lifelong love of fishing, along with a Yooperese dialect only decipherable by Canadians. He spent many hours fishing and camping there with his brother David throughout the years, and later his younger brothers Ken and Jack.

Dan was an entrepreneur from a young age. He could go to school with a small ball of cotton string and trade up all day and come home with a pocket knife. When he was in high school he took over the concession stand and made it turn a profit for the first time in a long time.

When Dan went in for a “draft exemption” during the Vietnam War, he was expecting to be sent home due to the fact that he had lost a finger on his left hand in an accident while working at a local sporting goods store; instead, he was surprised to learn that he was deemed capable of going to war and was given immediate orders to be sent out within days.

He trained to be a helicopter crew chief and went to Vietnam where he served two tours. He was shot down three separate times and on the third crash he jumped as the chopper was going down. He was the only survivor. He credited the Lord’s voice telling him to jump. Despite falling from the treetops, he did not have any serious injuries. Like many other Vietnam Veterans, he was exposed to Agent Orange which was to affect his health years later. He was Honorably discharged from the Army and was proud to have served his country.

He returned stateside and moved to Illinois, where he graduated from Northern Illinois University with a degree in accounting. He took the CPA exam and was one of the rare candidates to pass it on the first try. While he was a student, his entrepreneurial spirit gave him an avenue to supplement his GI bill by sitting in the storage shed behind his trailer loading shotgun shells for sale at the local shooting ranges.

It was in Illinois where he met Christine Johnson while he was a student and they were married. They had three wonderful children: Erik, Paul, and Joy.

After selling his partnership of his practice in Chicago, he moved to Nashville for work. It was there that he met, fell in love with, and married Billie Jo Marsh. Through his new marriage, he became like a father to Elly Marsh, whom he would love as one of his own. Dan and Billie Jo would go on to travel the world, sometimes bringing his Dad and other family – to China, Egypt, Greece, Italy, ArubaÃ- They also moved around the United States – from Memphis, to Treasure Island (where they lived for twenty years and delighted family and friends with his boat), and finally on to Dallas. Their marriage of 34 years was so full of love, joy, and devotion that it remains an inspiration to us all.

It was in 2021 when Dan learned of his son Shaun Watts, who was born during his time as a soldier in Vietnam. While they were not afforded the same amount of time together as they would have liked, Dan always looked forward to talking to Shaun and was delighted to get to know him and his family.

Dan was a successful CPA, CFO, and the world’s greatest accountant – a title bestowed upon him by clients every year (usually around April 15th) for the last five decades. He was also an accomplished pilot and had three airplanes at one point in his life. He was a great collector, starting with coins and later moving on to fishing reels, knives, fine art, and fine wine. None of this is to diminish his passion for collecting boats, which contributed to a lifelong interest in fishing where he cherished every moment he spent out on the water.

He was a devoted Christian and attended the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration with his family. He also enjoyed watching the stream of Pastor Scott Riley at Hillabee Campground Church in Alabama. Dan cherished every day with his wife Billie Jo and all his friends and family, always insisting that “every day is a gift.”

In 2011, Dan experienced what can only be described as a miracle. After enduring an emergency two week hospital visit and being given no chance to survive, Daniel endured and later received a lung transplant. This divine gift allowed Daniel and his family to spend the next 12 years being thankful for every moment they had together and experience so many special memories that will be cherished forever.

Dan is survived by his loving wife, Billie Jo; his father, Allen Kennedy; his brothers and their wives, David and Kathleen Kennedy, Ken and Sharon Kennedy, Jack and Blanca Kennedy; his children and their spouses, Shaun and Jennifer Watts, Erik and Rebecca Kennedy, Paul and Molly Kennedy, Joy and Daniel Sneed, and Elly Marsh. Dan adored his grandchildren – Daniel, Emma, Ryan, Ria, Noah, Katie, Joey, Brendan, Sam, Tommy, George, and one great-granddaughter Eleanor. He was immensely proud of them all and always looked forward to spending more time with each of them. He leaves behind nieces and nephews whom he loved deeply. He was also especially close to his lifelong friends; in recent years, spending many fishing trips with Gregory and Sandy Stafford.

Dan will be deeply missed by all who knew him. His kindness, generosity, humor and love for life will always be remembered.