Michael "Mike" Kenny

Although Mike Kenny was dedicated to his work, his heartbeat was truly for his family. He was blessed to share more than forty years with the love of his life, with whom he established the family he so treasured. Mike enjoyed many things throughout his life, making the most of every opportunity he was given. A faith-filled man, he passed his belief system on to his children, creating a legacy rooted not only in Catholicism, but also in strength, integrity, and love.

The year 1942 is a year that is most often recalled as a time in which our nation was deeply entrenched in fighting for the preservation of freedom throughout the world as many of our young men were serving in WWII. Those left stateside were dealing with rationing on several common goods; many planted victory gardens in an attempt to provide for their needs. This was a significant year in the family of Herbert and Helen (Willet) Kenny for a very different reason. On December 11, 1942, they welcomed their son, Michael, in Jackson, Michigan. Mike joined older siblings Marilyn, Helen, Muriel, and Mari, and with Mike’s birth, their family was complete. His father worked as a supervisor at Michigan Bell while his mother was a homemaker. Mike attended St. Mary Star of the Sea School from kindergarten through twelfth grade. In many ways, Mike enjoyed a typical childhood for the youth of this generation. He was a Boy Scout, a member of the football team in high school, and earned a little bit of spending money as a newspaper delivery boy. Mike also met a particular young girl while he was a student at St. Mary’s; her name was Janet Konopacki. Mike and Janet dated casually throughout high school, and their relationship grew more serious after graduation.

After graduating from high school, life took Mike in a few different directions. Initially, he served two years in the Naval Reserve and then went active. He served aboard the USS Hunley in Scotland. Mike and Janet continued to date during his deployment, and after he was discharged, they were engaged. Mike moved to Grand Rapids to attend Kendall School of Design. As a college student, Mike took a job with UPS, first washing trucks and later moving into the office. Mike and Janet were married on April 23, 1966, at St. Stanislaus in Jackson, where Janet was a member. In the spring of 1968, Mike earned his degree in graphic design.

After Mike graduated, he and Janet lived in Jackson, but after six months, they relocated to Grand Rapids. They rented on Richards Street and later moved to Plymouth, Michigan, where Mike took a job with UPS writing the house magazine. Mike and Janet again settled in Grand Rapids and moved to a home on Carlton Avenue, which they rented and later purchased on a land contract for $1. Mike took a job with Central Transport in order to support his family, which grew to include three children—Paul, Michael, and Kathryn. Over the next several years, they moved often as Mike’s job transferred him frequently. Finally, they settled into their home on Seventh Street NW, where they remained for 29 years. The Catholic faith was an important component in the Kenny family, and together they attended Holy Spirit Catholic Church, where they are still members today.

Over the years, their family enjoyed spending time together in a variety of ways. They took several camping trips around Michigan, and they also experienced a memorable trip to Disney World. In 1977, they sold their camper and added a swimming pool to their backyard, which became the backdrop of numerous family gatherings where the fun and laughter was always plentiful. In 1982, the family became members of the Elks Country Club, where the entire family enjoyed golfing.

Mike was a unique man in many ways. He was very handy and could fix just about anything. On weekends, Mike loved cooking breakfast and squeezing in a round of golf or two. In fact, he took advantage of every opportunity to get out on the links. An avid sports fan, Mike was diligent about reading the sports section of the newspaper each evening. He especially loved the Detroit Lions and remained a loyal fan through all their ups and downs, which truth be told, spanned more down times than up! He was also a fan of University of Michigan football. Mike was quite social and liked gathering with his friends through his affiliations with both the Grand Rapids Transportation Club and the Great Lakes Senior Golf Association. After retiring from Central Transport after 29 years of service, Mike worked for several small trucking firms until officially retiring in 2006.

Throughout the last six years of his life, Mike became afflicted with various health struggles. He developed cancer of the larynx in 2004 and underwent chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. Then by early 2007, Mike began suffering with additional health issues. He underwent quadruple bypass surgery, suffered an abdominal aneurysm, and was forced to have a complete laryngectomy after the larynx cancer returned. In the spring of 2009, Mike was diagnosed with lung cancer, which did not respond well to treatment. He was finally placed under Hospice care for the last month of his life.

Mike Kenny was a special man to know. He was passionate about golf and watching his favorite teams play football, but he enjoyed having fun with his family above all else. Mike was a man of great strength who not only served his country during a time of need, but also courageously fought when engaged in the fight for his life. He leaves behind countless memories that have become precious to those he held dear along with a legacy that will surely withstand the test of time. Mike will be dearly missed and fondly remembered.

Michael H. Kenny died on Sunday, February 21, 2010. Mike’s family includes his wife of 43 years, Janet; their children, Paul (Marie) Kenny, Michael Kenny, Kathryn (Tom) DeKeyser; grandchildren, Jacob, Joshua, Erik, and Dane; sisters and brothers-in-law, Marilyn Harrington, Helen (Richard) Seeling, Muriel (Bill) Eagan, Mari Craft; and many nieces and nephews. The Funeral Mass will be celebrated Thursday at 11 a.m. at Holy Spirit, 2230 Lake Michigan Drive NW. Friends may meet the family on Tuesday from 6-8 p.m. and on Wednesday from 3-8 p.m. at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home-Alt & Shawmut – Grand Rapids, 2120 Lake Michigan Dr. NW and for one hour at church prior to the Mass on Thursday. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you can leave a memory or photo, sign the online guestbook, or make a memorial contribution to God’s Kitchen, 303 S. Division, 49503, Faith Hospice Trillium Woods, 8214 Pfeiffer Farms, SW, Byron Center, 49315 or Holy Spirit Church Building Maintenance Fund, 2230 Lake Michigan Dr NW, 49504.