Walter L. Kennedy Explained

Walter L. Kennedy
Office:Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives
Term Start:1971
Term End:1975
Predecessor:John S. Burgess
Successor:Timothy J. O'Connor
Office2:Member of the Vermont House of Representatives
Term Start2:1961
Term End2:1975
Constituency2:35th District
Predecessor2:F. Ray Keyser Jr. (from Chelsea)
Successor2:John Howe (from Orange-1 District)
Birth Date:10 May 1920
Birth Place:Chelsea, Vermont
Death Place:Sarasota, Florida
Resting Place:Riverside Cemetery, Chelsea, Vermont
Party:Republican
Spouse:Phyllis Playful (m. 1943-1973, div.)
Sylvia R. LeFevre (m. 1974-1997, his death)
Children:2
Occupation:Automobile dealer

Walter L. Kennedy (May 10, 1920  - January 22, 1997) was a Vermont automobile dealer and politician who served two terms as Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives.

Biography

Walter Lawrence "Peanut" Kennedy was born in Chelsea, Vermont, on May 10, 1920. He graduated from Chelsea High School and worked at Pratt & Whitney in East Hartford, Connecticut. He served with the United States Army Air Forces during World War II, attaining the rank of Corporal, and afterwards returning to Chelsea.[1] [2]

Kennedy managed the Chelsea Co-Op Grocery and worked for American Home Foods until 1952, when he went into business as a car dealer. He soon became owner and operator of a Chrysler-Plymouth-Dodge-Jeep dealership, which became one of the largest car dealerships in Vermont.[3]

A Republican, Kennedy was elected to the Vermont House of Representatives in 1960. He served seven terms, 1961 to 1975, and was Speaker of the House from 1971 to 1975.[4]

In 1974, Kennedy was the unsuccessful Republican nominee for governor, losing to incumbent Thomas P. Salmon.[5]

After losing the race for governor, Kennedy served as Chairman of the Vermont Republican Party from 1975 to 1976, and was an unsuccessful candidate for the Vermont House in 1976.[6]

In retirement, Kennedy resided in Florida. He died in Sarasota on January 22, 1997.[7] [8] [9] [10]

Notes and References

  1. http://www.obitcentral.com/obitsearch/obits/vt/vt-washington7.htm Obituary, Walter L. Kennedy
  2. American Legislative Leaders in the Northeast, 1911-1994, James Roger Sharp and Nancy Weatherly Sharp, 2000, page 137
  3. Automotive News, Crain Automotive Group, 1972, page 33
  4. http://vermont-archives.org/govhistory/Officials/pdf/speakersHouse.pdf Speakers of the Vermont House of Representatives since 1870
  5. http://vermont-archives.org/govhistory/elect/results1/pdf/stoff1gov.pdf General Election results for Vermont Governor, 1789-2008
  6. https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=5TBkAAAAIBAJ&sjid=LfgMAAAAIBAJ&pg=6248,4468610&dq=walter+kennedy+vermont+speaker&hl=en Newspaper article, Walter Kennedy, Colorful Vermont politician
  7. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=2457&dat=19970124&id=ugxbAAAAIBAJ&sjid=Qk4NAAAAIBAJ&pg=5597,2518958 Death notice, Walter Kennedy, former Vermont House Speaker
  8. Florida Death Index, 1877-1998, entry for Walter L. Kennedy, accessed via Ancestry.com, March 28, 2012
  9. Social Security Death Index, entry for Walter L. Kennedy, accessed via Ancestry.com, March 28, 2012
  10. Obituary, Walter L. Kennedy, Sarasota Herald Tribune, January 22, 1997