John A. Kennedy (Illinois politician) explained

John A. Kennedy
State:Illinois
District:at-large
State House:Illinois
Term Start:January 13, 1965
Term End:January 11, 1967
Birth Name:John Allen Kennedy
Birth Date:29 December 1921
Birth Place:Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Death Place:Evanston, Illinois, U.S.
Party:Democratic
Residence:Winnetka, Illinois

John Allen Kennedy (December 29, 1921 – August 17, 1997) was an American politician and businessman.

Early life and education

Kennedy was born on December 29, 1921, in Chicago. He attended Lane Tech College Prep High School and received a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering degree from Northwestern University.[1]

Military and business career

Kennedy served in the United States Navy as an engineer from 1943 to 1946. He served at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory in 1943, working on the Manhattan Project. He then served in the Pacific for two years repairing electronics.

After the war, Kennedy worked for Motorola from 1946 to 1949. He then founded James Electronics, a manufacturer of electronic components.

Kennedy served on numerous boards, including those of the St. Elizabeth's, St. Anne's, and St. Francis hospitals. He was a trustee at Barat College and at Northwestern's Technological Institute.

Political career

In 1962, Kennedy ran for Illinois's 13th congressional district, but lost to Republican candidate Donald Rumsfeld.[2] Kennedy was the co-founder and vice-chairman of the Winnetka Democratic Club.

Kennedy was elected to the Illinois House of Representatives in the 1964 election, which was held at-large due to the legislature's failure to redistrict. Kennedy was nominated for the Democratic Party's ticket due to his name's similarity to the recently-slain John F. Kennedy, to whom he was unrelated.[3]

Kennedy chaired Lyndon B. Johnson's 1965 Task Force on Intergovernmental Information. He also helped create Illinois's Management Information Division during his time in the legislature.

Kennedy ran for Illinois's 1st Senate district in the 1966 Illinois Senate election, but lost to the Republican incumbent W. Russell Arrington.[4]

Personal life and death

Kennedy lived in Winnetka, Illinois. He had four sons and five daughters with his wife Mary Ann Bremner. He died on August 17, 1997, at the Saint Francis Hospital of Evanston.

Notes and References

  1. Book: Powell . Paul . Paul Powell (politician) . Illinois Blue Book . 1965-1966 . 239 . September 20, 2023 . September 27, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230927222324/https://www.idaillinois.org/digital/collection/bb/id/15832/rec/56 . live .
  2. News: Heise . Kenan . John A. Kennedy, Ex-lawmaker . September 20, 2023 . . August 19, 1997 . September 27, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230927222322/https://www.chicagotribune.com/ . live .
  3. News: Pearson. Rick. Hardy. Thomas. Ruling Rekindles Visions of '64 'Bedsheet' Ballot. March 8, 2021. Chicago Tribune. en-US. December 17, 1991. March 2, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210302203129/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1991-12-17-9104230254-story.html. live.
  4. News: Yuenger . James . Hopefuls Enter Local Primary Races . September 20, 2023 . . May 15, 1966 . September 27, 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230927222327/https://www.newspapers.com/article/chicago-tribune-hopefuls-enter-local-pri/132124473/ . live .