Destiny D.K Turner

Dear John J. Kennedy, Words can’t express the gratitude and love I have towards you. I thank God for allowing me the opportunity to experience your love, kindness, loyalty, generosity, protection, and friendship.

You have shown me the true meaning of unconditional love and support. I will forever cherish all the many conversations and times that we have shared.

I will forever keep the life and Christian values that you have instilled in me. I truly believe that you are an angel sent from heaven. I admire that man of God that you are.

You have served your purpose! You have made your mark on in this world. You have laid bricks that has been laid for the foundation of God’s Kingdom.

To most people they know you as Councilmember John J. Kennedy. But me, I had the lovely pleasure of knowing you as John Kennedy, my DAD!

I will miss our weekly conversations, daily biblical scriptures, annual Father’s Day lunch, and so much more. I will miss your loud baritone voice answering the phone saying “hello, who is this? This is John” or “what do you want little girl?”

I love you! And will forever honor your name, memory, and legacy.

“We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”

2 Corinthians 5:8 KJV

Love Always, Your Daughter

Destiny D.K Turner

Christopher Walker

John J. Kennedy was my mentor and my friend. He showed me what it meant to be humble when he would admit to me when he was wrong about something. I will always remember the many conversations we had and how he would always ask me to meet him for lunch, which was code for “I want you to treat me to lunch Chris.” I would always say yes because every time we met, I would always get a history lesson from John, which I truly appreciated. John would constantly ask me how he could help me with my business. John would always ask how my family was doing. John admired my mom and dad and would want updates on how my wife and kids were doing. John made a lasting impression with my daughters. I took Nichelle and Danielle to John’s house one day when they were much younger, and they were amazed with the number of books and art pieces he displayed. John was gracious enough to give them books and till this day they remember going to John’s house and receiving books from this generous friend and public servant. John made that type of impression on everyone. That was one of the many gifts he had.

John worked tirelessly to build a better community not just for the African Americans in Pasadena, but for all that lived in Pasadena. John truly believed we were one Pasadena. John, you will be missed, and we will continue your legacy to build a better future for the residents of Pasadena. I will miss my walks with John, I will miss my lunches with John, and I will miss the words of wisdom from John.

Love, Christopher Walker & The Walker Family

Mya Taylor

When I first moved to California seven years ago, I didn’t know anyone here. I took a job as a hostess at the Cheesecake Factory on Colorado Boulevard in Pasadena to make a little money after school and meet people. I met John Kennedy there and from our very first meeting, he took me under his wing and changed my life.

John Kennedy took the time to talk to me, listen to my dreams and goals then went a step further and helped me reach them. He offered me an internship with the City and although my class schedule couldn’t allow me to take on a full time internship, he worked with me and we found many other ways for me to do volunteer work for the City.

John Kennedy opened doors for me, inspired me, gave me advice, was a parental figure for me when I desperately needed one, and he showed me that activism can be structured, tactical, safe and effective as long as I had patience. At 19, I didn’t see any benefits in having patience, so thank goodness John had enough for both of us.

Even though I still had a lot to learn, John Kennedy trusted me to be a leader among other youth in the community. He gave me opportunities to prove myself and my abilities, which led to me achieving the success I have now. He allowed me to be the chairwoman of two organizations under his leadership when I was just about 21 years old.

His gesture of good faith ignited a spark in me that still exists and all I wanted was to repay him by working hard to make him proud. I would not be where I am or who I am today if I had never met John Kennedy. He introduced me to his community during the loneliest time of my life and vouched for me professionally, which opened doors for me that probably would have been slammed in my face otherwise.

If it wasn’t for John Kennedy seeing me and helping me, I would likely still be battling depression and would have stopped pursuing my dreams a long time ago. It breaks my heart that John will never be able to see me become the powerhouse that he always thought I’d be. I still plan to do everything in my power to honor his memory and legacy by making him and the community proud.

LOVELY E-MAIL MESSAGES RECEIVED:

Please accept our heartfelt deepest sympathies. John affected us in so many ways. There are many different sides of him. I remember the first time I saw him I could not believe how loud he was! Now I miss the thunderous voice that caught my attention. God bless you John. Heaven has a new soldier.

– Michael and Carmela

Victoria “Queen V” Williams

The Honorable John J. Kennedy: Mentor, Friend, Godfather, World Connector and Incredible Pasadenan. His indelible legacy will forever live on in the smiles, laughter, and stories each of us have of our gentle giant. I can recall that he connected me to many individuals. One time I was admiring the art of Kehinde Wiley in a Johannesburg, South Africa art gallery and randomly struck up a conversation with the former U.S. Ambassador to South Africa Patrick Gaspard. Patrick asked where I was from, and when I stated Pasadena, his eyes lit up as he vividly recalled having visited John’s home and he asked me to give John a hug on his behalf.

I will miss the fierce community advocate who always fought tirelessly for others, who would hear constituents’ concerns whether he was in Robinson Park or the grocery store, who would encourage a student to pursue higher education, and who decried systemic discrimination long before it was mainstream.

I will miss his 6:00 a.m. phone calls of powerful encouragement and our foodie and thrift store adventures to catch up. John, you have now earned your heavenly wings and I will forever go “Onward” in your honor.