Patricia A. Kennedy

Patricia Ann Kennedy, 90, passed away peacefully at Northville Pointe Senior Living on January 21, 2026. Pat’s remarkable life began in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on June 6, 1935. She was the oldest child born to Robert and Elsie (Lapp) Cordes. Pat graduated at the top of her high school class at Comstock Park and went on to earn a nursing degree from Mercy Central School of Nursing. Recently, she said earning her cap from Mercy was one of the proudest moments of her life. Pat met Richard Kennedy in 1956, and they were married at Assumption B.V.M. Catholic Church on May 3, 1958. Nursing at St. Mary’s Hospital took a back seat while she and Rich raised their four children, though she returned to work as the church secretary for Assumption B.V.M. Church in Belmont. As church secretary she did more than make the priests’ lives and the business aspect of the parish run smoothly. She welcomed anyone who came into her office, whether it was a nun needing life advice or someone down on their luck needing money for utilities. After the children left home, Pat and Rich traveled the United States by motorcycle and motor home, even making the long trek from Michigan to Alaska. Pat made friends easily wherever she went and loved to be with people. Starting in the late 1970s, Pat was an active community theater actress, first with the Cedar Springs Players and the Master Arts Theatre, winning lead roles in Driving Miss Daisy, Arsenic and Old Lace, and Nunsense (yes, she sang and learned to tap dance for that role), among others. Other volunteer work included organizing high school religious instruction at church, where she had the novel (at the time) idea to provide pizza and volleyball to the students, resulting in the highest attendance numbers ever. She also taught religion to disabled children, visited nursing home residents, sang in the church choir, worked at innumerable fund raisers, and served on the citizen board at Sentinel Pointe retirement community. Pat made the world a better place and will be missed by all who knew her, including many dear friends.

Pat was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Rich and son, Bob. Pat is survived by her sons, Dennis and Jim; her daughter, Barb; daughters-in-law, Reeg Kennedy and Pat Latus-Kennedy; son-in-law, Will Scott; sister, Nancy Davidson; brother, Buck; sister-in-law, Pat; granddaughters, Megan Kennedy and Claire Latus-Kennedy (Phil Aufdemberge); grandsons, Brock (Cortney) Kennedy and Zachary Latus-Kennedy; and great-grandson, Owen Kennedy. Please join us for the funeral Mass at St. Mary Church, 423 1st Street NW, Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Saturday, April 25th at 11 AM, with a luncheon to follow. Family will begin receiving friends at the church one hour before Mass. For those who wish to commemorate her memory, donations in her name can be made to St. Mary Church’s food pantry or the Master Arts Theatre in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Arrangements by K.E. Pike Funeral Home, Cedar Springs.