James Richard Kenney

Jim was baptized at First Lutheran Church, Bemidji, MN on September 14,1947 by Rev. L. E. Evans. Godparents were Gordon and Muriel Olson andDonald and Ardell Meland. He was confirmed at Trinity Lutheran Church,San Rafael, by Rev. Fred Braunschweiger in June 1962.
Jim attended kindergarten in Fairfax, CA; lst grade at Belvedere School;2nd grade at Reed School; 3rd through 6th grade at Bel Aire School; 7thand 8th grade at Del Mar School, and graduated from Redwood High School,Corte Madera on June 16, 1966.
Jim enlisted in the U. S. Army as a Medic at Oakland, CA in October1966. Basic training was at Ft. Lewis, WA. During Basic Training, hesuffered a bad case of pneumonia, after graduation, he was sent to EglinAir Force Base, Ranger Unit. He left for Vietnam from Oakland in October1967. Most of his 2 tours were spent with the 18th Eng. Brigade, 45thEngineer Group on the DMZ. He received a Certificate of Achievement inRecognition of Meritorious Performance of Duty - Oct. 26, 1967 to Oct.25, 1968. He was discharged at Ft. Lewis, WA in May 1969, at the closeof his 2nd tour.
When Jim arrived home, his first purchase was a 1969 white Cameroconvertible with red racing stripes. Jim worked at Ross General Hospitalfirst as an Orderly, and later as Psychiatric Technician. He attendedCollege of Marin while working and succeeded in earning his PsychiatricTechnician Certificate.
When the family moved to Penn Valley and Grass Valley in 1976, Jim wentback to school at Sierra College, Roseville and earned his AB degree. Jimbecame a partner with his Dad, Mom and brothers in Gold Ridge Auto Repairand worked there until his death from malignant melanoma at 33 years.
Jim played softball with the Gold Country Lions and after his death theGold Country Lions awarded the "Jim Kenney Scholarship" for several yearsin his memory. The scholarship was funded by softball tournaments andmany high school graduating seniors benefited from it.
As a boy, Jim played on Little League Teams. He was a Cub Scout in Den3. He earned the Life Scout Badge in Troop 48 and was a member of theExplorer Scout Ski Patrol member and earned Order of Arrow BSA. Hebecame Assistant Scoutmaster and Scoutmaster Troop 48.
Jim was the first Luther League President at Shepherd of the HillsLutheran Church and went to the National Youth Gathering in Detroit, MI.
Hobbies: Archery, Ski Patrol and skiing, tennis, bridge, bowling,photography, for a time - gambling trips to South Lake Tahoe.
December 22, 1978 Jim married Melanie Ann Homick at Calvary Bible Church,Grass Valley. In 1979 he adopted Melanie's son Richard Wayne Merrill whowas born June 8, 1974 at USNavy Hospital, Zama, Japan.
Illnesses: severe tonsillitis and infected adenoids, tonsils removed in1949, whooping cough, mumps 1952, chicken pox 1955, measles, pneumonia,malignant melanoma 1978 to 1980.
Jim is buried at Greenwood Memorial Cemetery, Grass Valley, CA