Deacon Joseph Kennedy died unexpectedly on September 23, 2025 with family by his side. He was born October 24, 1938 in Kansas City, Missouri to Joseph and Bertha Kennedy and welcomed by his two sisters and brother. The family moved to Eureka, Kansas where Joe attended elementary school and participated in church and small town activities.

Joe spent high school plus one year of college at Our Lady of the Ozarks, a preparatory high school operated by the Oblates of Mary Immaculate in Missouri. At 19 years old, Joe decided to journey to Ventura, California, intending to enroll at Ventura College. Plans changed and he went to work at Camarillo State Hospital as a nursing technician and considered becoming a registered nurse.

The unexpected death of his father brought Joe back to Eureka; upon returning to Ventura, he was hired by Southern Counties (now Southern California) Gas Company. After working at the compressor plant, he became a meter reader and then a Customer Service Representative, working in the Commercial Division of Customer Service throughout Ventura County. He retired in 1994 after 35 years with the Gas Company.

In 1962, Joe met Elizabeth (Betty) Brandenburger. They were married in June 1963 and made their home in Oxnard , where they became parents of four children. Joe was an active and devoted parishioner of St. Anthony's Church and served as a lector, cantor, directed choirs for various periods of time and coordinated altar servers. He was a life time member of the Knights of Columbus Oxnard Council 750 and the Fourth Degree San Buenaventura General Assembly, where he served as Faithful Navigator in 1968.

Joe's photography hobby became a second profession in 1978 when he opened "Kennedy's Photography" in downtown Oxnard, which he and Betty operated until 2002. He photographed many weddings and families, along with a generation of students at Santa Clara High School. He was a member and past president of the local Channel Islands Professional Photographers Association and also served as president of the Oxnard Downtowners. Joe and Betty were Oxnard's Citizens of the Year and have been inducted into the Santa Clara High School's Hall of Fame.

After retiring from the photography business, he embarked on a five year journey to become a deacon in the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. Deacon Joe was ordained in 2007 and served at St. Anthony's Church, assisting with baptisms, marriages and funerals.

Joe will be remembered forever as a loving and devoted husband, father and grandfather. He was proud of his children's and grandchildren's accomplishments and would speak of them often. His quick wit, sense of humor, sincerity and deep integrity were traits that endeared him to others and earned respect throughout the community of Oxnard.

Deacon Joe was preceded in death by his parents, his sisters Rosine and Sister M Patrice ASC, and brother Karl Kennedy. He is survived by his wife of 62 years, Betty; their children Joe and Liza Kennedy (San Diego), Ruth Kennedy (Citrus Heights), Sarah Kennedy Inglis (Sydney) and John Kennedy (Whittier); six granddaughters Samantha, Olivia, Lauren and Elizabeth Kennedy and Catherine and Julia Inglis; sister-in-law Dorothy Kennedy and many other relatives and friends.

"In Lieu of Flowers, Family ask that you please consider donating to St. Anthony's Church or Santa Clara High School"