John A. Kennedy, Jr.

John was born and raised in Southington, the eldest of seven children (six boys, one girl) of John (Jack) Kennedy of Southington and Agnes (Dempsey) Kennedy of New York City. He attended local schools through 6th grade, when Jack and Agnes felt young Johnny needed the discipline of a Catholic School education and promptly shipped him off to St. Anthony's in Bristol, where he completed grade school and graduated from SAHS in 1964. At St. Anthony's he starred in baseball and basketball and, because John F. Kennedy was running for office at the time, was elected president of his class by his easily impressed peers. He was subsequently 'impeached' from office by the school's principal for an attitude unbecoming a class officer. Young John felt he was a misunderstood genius. During his high school period, he played on two Bristol American Legion state championship baseball teams.

After one year at St. Michael's College in frigid northern VT, John transferred to Quinnipiac College, where he graduated with a degree in accounting and played shortstop on the school's 1968 Div II New England baseball champions. After college, he obtained his CPA certification and began a career in public accounting. He was a partner in a regional firm based in West Hartford until 1991 when he left to co-found the firm Kennedy & King, LLC. John now is a sole practitioner in Plantsville where, ironically, his office is located in the very house he grew up in. He occasionally has flashbacks of being disciplined.

John has been a Rotarian for 22 years, sponsored by Rod Greaves. He was president in 1989-90; succeeded Ralph Mann as the Club's official finer; has chaired various fundraisers including the William Thomson Golf Scramble, Mardi Gras Night, Jazz 'n Ribs; is a Paul Harris Fellow; is a trustee of the Southington Rotary Trust; maintains the Club's website; is a proud member of the infamous Apple Harvest booth setup committee. He was 'Carnac' to Bill Taylor's Ed McMahon in the legendary Installation Dinner skit flop.

He and Rita (Flynn) have been married for 36 years and after 12 years of trying to figure it out, produced two sons, Jonathan and Garrett. The family reluctantly puts up with John's "no joke too obvious" philosophy and he thanks them for it. John's interests are sports, music, humor and writing (he is working on his 3rd novel - the first two have not yet been published, or completed).

He has not yet decided what he will be when he grows up.

(He has not been featured in any newsletter. He wrote the above, so don't believe a word of it.)