DEATH OF MR. A. F. KENNEDY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 12528, 9 August 1911, Page 4

DEATH OF MR. A. F. KENNEDY.

I It is with deep regret we record the> death of one of our best known' and Titbit highly esteemed citizens; Mr Alexander, Francis Kennedy, which occurred at -fife residence, Palmerston road, this noon. The news, though ' not entirely 1 ; unexpected, will come as a' great' ■Sno'cfcr to hosts of: friends scattered thl ; oug*h6iffc the Dominion, to whohi Mr Kennedy^ had endeared himself by his genia^y; and kindness, and other high :' personal qualifications, and by his death . Gisborne" loses a sterling citizen, who' ha*» de^ol/Bof much time and energy to the* adViiJiß^ ment of - thife: town and district. <-•• v Mi? Kennedy's' state of> health hacl • Itee**** causing his friends concern tor somk time past. An accident that ne * met"with' whilst, mdtoring*' sorh 1 © ■ t-tfPAy^r's' ago perceptibly aged him, and there' Was' a general breakdown of health &'le& months back; which led him* to {Me ■"&'* trip 1 to Australia m an ; endeavbf ■ to cuperate. Whilst m the . Comih*o# wealth, however, serious symptoms dei-' veloped, and, with Mrs Kennedy', *#hj)i had accompanied him, . he returned".' r W Gisborne abolit two months ago. . ■ .Si^cehis return he has' been - confined to hits residence, and though he b^r_ his ''M'' ness 'with great fortitude and raademany brave attempts to rally, his strength Ms gradually ebbed' a*wa^ . His - conditipift became critical towards the "end'; of^laMrweek, and . sinje Sunday - he Kas ■':• h%6ti" sinking, the end coming p^eafieMly at^l ? r o'clock this afternoon. •' - .:vi' '«ri^ ; It is .up exagi-jeratibrj^ to say. th&tJ't&ti', A. F. Kennedy 'will 'lie greatly ■ .miß^ed' m the community. There was • n'oi mart, more popular ; no one whose kind -Vd'e-"'' meahor aiid ■ gentlemanly ychara^teris^; tics instilled coi*ifi'dehce and frijari^r. ship more instantly than v; genial "Frank," ; ' as he was "knotty to his assacia'tes, and His \&\i4fai.' will be sadly vacant iri social ' circl#i' and m varipus movements for the u^t"tf£ of the community. Born m Napier .on January 30th, 1862, the son of theilat* Alexander Kennedy, . merchant, . the . dfev ceased" gentleman was-, educated' Hawke's Bay, ond ( in 1878 he joined rth"a: service of / the Union Steamship Company. Three 'years later he entered .tfie. empioymen.t of Mi? #. Wi W-ißiam^ille founder of tlie firm - 'of -WillismV: $lftk Kettle, and for ten' y.ea*rs decif^fe'd 'ith^ position of accountant: N-apieriVi^lft: 1891, when it wii. dedipdv W opepUd branch of v the -firm's ! . aCi<i% ' borne, Mr jKeitnedy ' vras' ei•'l.ti'u'sted , ; wftJv the duty of pperiing :the pnlce,'.of ■ihe became manager; "holding that 'tion until his .'death: 1 . His - great :buishe|* capacity and high personal qualificatidns enabled him to, hni\d 'up'rah exten'siy^ connection for*, the m*m 'in' this. .di'strlb'^ and led 'him also tq take aiV.aotiv^j fh-; terest ih/loeal affairs. 'He^^ ha'sl-beehfrp-fd-C minent m : rtariy moyemerits jfpr.th'S kgwf'v gress of the district^ servirig as^a.ihem- 1 ber of the .BbrougKTJouncil ih> 19^24 ;attd\ participating largely" in' tlje affairs t o\k such bodies as the Beautifying AiJ^o*frr tion, the Railway Lea^ueV' the C%a&b.di of Comn\erce, the A), and ¥. Ass^iatic)ii.;; Horticultural Sbbiet^ Gisbofne; Rp-wijpfg;. Club, and Caledpniun Society,, of -WfiiejK' latter body, he Was president; *. He M*s; also a committeeman of the ;P«v|rt«r Bay Cluib ahd. of _M&, Poverty .'•Bi^i.'EtiK Club. In . musical inld ' .d*rAmatic • QfttJlfeS. Mr Kennedy was exceedingly ."ppmili^t^" both m Napie^ and m Gisborne, and- tlie' theatre-going ; p'^bjic;' have memories of his gifts as an amateur ■>s& tor. Ai^ Rip m "Rip Van, Winkle^tfh^ liord Ohancellpr m "lolanthe,"' the Lord High Executipiier m "The Mikado,!". alM' the < Grand Inquisitor m "The Hers," he gave perforcmances , that? jtwould ;be; hard excel, And thel.^ul^Ue; of Gisborne . are ' indebted;. to* bbtlilTi^^ and >lrs Kenedy for, many. > pleiisani. hours.' of enteriainmepjti.; ; e Durmg \"tlj'* stii-ringr. times of the Boer waV 5^ Ifen^": liedy took < an* active .part' iiii prgani^irifc the^ local •patiHotic fund And- the des^tfctt. of - cohtiugen'ti^', and moiiy will .ha^e-lii recollection of his. stirrfiig' renditi6ii .Q? Kipling's cpm^ositioni -•'The . Atia'eiiti Minded Beggar." , As a Mr / Kennedy . was . a Past ■, Master pt ' - Lodge, Napier,- and subsequently twi^ occupied' the/ ch'aiif as Mastor pi Lpdg|;, Abercorii, and was a Past Grand Seniq}^ Deacon of the Grand Lodge of. N^n?w 26^' land. He was married ' "h 1895, tto "-'af daughter of the late Mr W.ill'alm.-'Adii"^,;, who, with three . young daughters, i.-s^i^; viv'es him, and towai'ds whom .the] mb>t/. heartfelt sympathy will he extende<il:'^>J:; the whole, community./ Jn 1907 Mr : sni}A Mrs Kennedy- paid a visit to • Amervcifc.' and England. t Mr : Q. -.. D... Kennedy £;• "jfi Napier,: a brother of deceased, .'aii l , |i!«M'||) Kennedy, -his sister, are. v'isitirig) 'Gi'sbbijne^ at present. , "Flags m town Were tio&tfeH at half -mast" this afterntibii m. tpJ^W of, the general regret felt at 3dr K6n*rtecl^"|' demise. We understand the fiiri'eral.^i^; take place to-morrow.' ■aft'e*rno)ijVi. : .'_.Vv-:.'''^:.