[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 20]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 29330-29331]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                      TRIBUTE TO WALTER P. KENNEDY

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. JOHN J. DUNCAN, JR.

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, November 9, 1999

  Mr. DUNCAN. Mr. Speaker, recently, the United States, and the House 
of Representatives in particular, lost a true public servant.

[[Page 29331]]

On October 24, long-time Sergeant-at-Arms Walter P. Kennedy passed away 
at the age of 78.
  I first met Mr. Kennedy when my father, John J. Duncan, was a Member 
of this Body. Daddy always had nice things to say about Mr. Kennedy. I, 
too, found Mr. Kennedy to be a consummate and dedicated member of the 
House family. He was a fine Christian man who had a special bond with 
Members on both sides of the aisle.
  Mr. Speaker, Walter Kennedy was also a great family man. He and his 
wife of 53 years, Ana Luisa Bou, raised a family of seven beautiful 
children, all of whom still live in the Washington area.
  Mr. Kennedy also enjoyed success after his service in the House of 
Representatives. For six years, he served as Chairman and CEO of the 
Kennedy Group Companies, a consulting and public relations firm based 
here in Washington, D.C.
  Walter Kennedy set an example that we should all try to follow. He 
was truly a great American and gave tirelessly to many good causes. He 
was a volunteer for the Boy Scout program for many years and a long-
time and dedicated member of the Catholic Church.
  Mr. Speaker, I would like to add my condolences and best wishes to 
the Kennedy family. America has lost a true statesman in this fine man. 
The United States would be a far better place if we had more men like 
Walter P. Kennedy.
  I submit a copy of Mr. Kennedy's obituary that I would like to call 
to the attention of my colleagues and other readers of the Record.

       [Press Release from the Kennedy Companies, Oct. 25, 1999]

   Retired Republican Sergeant-at-Arms, U.S. House of Representatives

       Walter P. Kennedy, retired Republican Sergeant-at-Arms, 
     U.S. House of Representatives (1950-1993) and a 43 year 
     resident of Bethesda, MD, died on Sunday, October 24, 1999 in 
     the Coronary Intensive Care Unit of the Washington Hospital 
     Center. He was 78.
       Born to Thomas Kennedy and Mary Stella McElvogue on 
     February 23, 1921, he was an immigrant with them from Ireland 
     in 1924. He was raised in Paterson, New Jersey.
       During World War II, he served in the Army from February 
     1943 to November 1945. In 1943, as his unit was preparing to 
     deploy, he became a naturalized citizen. He saw combat in 
     France, Germany and Austria as a medic in the 63rd Engineer 
     Battalion, 44th Infantry Division.
       After his discharge from the service, he completed his 
     studies at Seton Hall College, in New Jersey and went on to 
     receive a law degree from Georgetown University in 
     Washington, D.C.
       He began a 44 year career in the U.S. Congress in 1950 as 
     the chief administrative assistant for the Hon. Gordon 
     Canfield of New Jersey, retiring in 1993 as the Republican 
     Sergeant-at-Arms for the last couple of decades. In his 
     position with Republican Leadership, he served under Charles 
     Haleck, Gerald Ford, John Rhodes and Bob Michel.
       Mr. Kennedy's 44 years of Congressional service is 
     significant inasmuch as it represent more than 25% of all the 
     years Congress has been in existence.
       Notably, on the day of his retirement, he was honored by 
     the House of Representatives while it was in session with 
     impromptu speeches by many Members.
       Subsequent to his retirement, he logged an additional 6 
     years on Capitol Hill with consulting, political fundraising 
     and public relations through The Kennedy Group Companies of 
     Washington, D.C., for which he was the Chairman and CEO.
       Since the death of his father, he had been the patriarch of 
     a big and very close-knit family. He is survived by his wife, 
     Ana Louisa Bou, to whom he was married for more than 53 
     years, 7 children, Walter P. Kennedy, Jr., Ana L. Kennedy, 
     Thomas F. Kennedy, Dennis M. Kennedy, Stella M. Kennedy-Dail, 
     Kevin J. Kennedy, and Kathleen P. Kennedy McGovern, 4 
     daughters-in-law and a son-in-law, 12 grandchildren, all who 
     reside in the great Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. He, 
     himself, was the oldest of four children and he is survived 
     by a brother, three sisters, their spouses and children. He 
     was also the brother for two sister-in-laws, Ernestina Bou 
     and Marie Isabel Pelalas.
       He was active with the Boy Scouts and the Catholic 
     Committee on Scouting for more than 40 years. Since 1956 he 
     was an active member of Holy Redeemer Roman Catholic Church 
     in Kensington, Maryland, particularly with the Holy Name 
     Society and the Social Concerns Committee. He was an active 
     member and a Knight of the 4th Degree in the Knights of 
     Columbus.
       He was a man of leadership and vision, but also, above all 
     else, a good, honest and kind man. Though never losing focus 
     on the future (which he always maintained as promising), he 
     would consider everyone, yet remain vigilant for the 
     underdog.
       He was loved deeply by all and he will be greatly missed.

       

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