CHELMSFORD — John J. Kenney, 83, a World War II veteran and longtime Chelmsford resident who was active on political boards in town, died Monday, Dec. 4, at Lowell General Hospital. He was the beloved husband of Elaine (Vayo) Kenney, with whom he celebrated their 57th wedding anniversary on June 18.
He was born in Lowell on Feb. 7, 1923, a son of the late Leo and Hazel (Mills) Kenney.
In 1941, Mr. Kenney enlisted in the Navy, and served during World War II aboard the USS San Diego, the intreprid cruiser that received 15 battle stars for its actions in the South Pacific. He was involved in at least 15 campaigns in the Asiatic-Pacific Theater, and his ship was the first into Tokyo Bay during the Japanese surrender in 1945.
Prior to his retirement, Mr. Kenney worked at Sears in Lowell for 20 years, and had previously been employed for two decades at Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital in Bedford, and the Lowell Sun Publishing Co.
He was politically active in his Chelmsford community, having served on the Personnel Board, Planning Board and the Northern Middlesex Advisory Committee.
He grew up in the Sacred Heart Parish. He attended a St. John the Evangelist Church in Chelmsford, where he was also an usher for a number of years, and where he was a member of the Knights of Columbus. In recent years, he attended St. Ann’s Chapel in Still River.
Besides his wife, he is survived by three daughters and two sons-in-law, Marie Elaine and Clark S. Hiltunen of Haverhill, Paula A. and Colin J. Fretwell of Chelmsford, and Joanne L. Burket of Nashua; a son and his wife, John M. and Carol A. Kenney of New Ipswich, N.H.; nine grandchildren, Jennifer (Burket) Doubleday, Sgt. Jason Burket, David Fretwell, Mark Fretwell, Army Specialist John Kenney, Katelyn Kenney, Pvt. first class Matthew Kenney, Paul Kenney and Christopher Kenney; three great-grandchildren, Carmella , Owen and Kamryn; four sisters and three brothers-in-law, Sister Genevieve of Buffalo, N.Y., Ann and Ted Decker of Lowell, Mary and Robert Hutton of Lawrence, and Constance and William Dempsey of Lowell.
Mr. Kenney was also the brother of the late Raymond Kenney and Patricia Conley.