Lake Forest’s James Kenney passes away; tireless Church of St. Mary deacon baptized hundreds

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Updated: March 10, 2012 8:27AM

As a deacon at Church of St. Mary in Lake Forest, James Kenney baptized more than 500 babies into the Catholic faith and ministered to countless sick and elderly individuals for more than 30 years. The Lake Forest resident died Jan. 25. He was 78.

Born and raised in Evanston, Kenney served in the U.S. Army then attended Lake Forest College, where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business administration in 1959. Fifty years later, LFC honored Kenney with its Distinguished Service Award.

After graduating from LFC, Kenney stayed in Lake Forest where he obtained his first job — as business manager at the former Ferry Hall School. In the decades to follow, Kenney held positions at Lake Forest Hospital and Glenbrook High School, having obtained his master’s in education in 1989.

During his time living in both Lake Forest and Lake Bluff, Kenney dedicated much of his volunteer time to his church. Lake Forester Joe Krakora met Kenney in 1965, when they both served on the Church of St. Mary’s parish council, among other service opportunities.

“We started as lectors, then were trained as eucharistic ministers when we started visiting people in Lake Forest Hospital and Westmoreland,” said Krakora.

The two embarked on a deeper faith journey, attending deaconate training together in 1975. They were ordained in the same ceremony in 1978.

“He always said he was the senior deacon, because he was ordained two minutes before me,” Krakora recalled of his friend.

Kenney used that seniority to establish closer ties with other local churches.

“Jim was the impetus behind the ecumenical group that brought together representatives from many of the churches in Lake Forest and Lake Bluff,” Krakora said.

‘Very dedicated’

Kenney also volunteered tirelessly on the establishment of St. Martin de Porres High School in Waukegan in 2004, Krakora said. The school is a member of the national Cristo Rey Network of schools, providing college preparatory education to students of limited means.

“Jim was a very dedicated person who always helped others. He just did it because it was the right thing to do, from his point of view,” Krakora said.

Fr. Mike McGovern, pastor at Church of St. Mary, said Kenney had a “strong belief in social justice and believed his faith should lead to service.

“Jim tried to live that,” McGovern said.

McGovern described Kenney as a “very kind man” who “loved St. Mary’s, whether he was standing at the altar or at Oktoberfest visiting with people.”

Besides his work helping others, Kenney was dedicated to staying physically fit.

A long-time member of the Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Running Club, Kenney continued to meet the runners on Saturday mornings to lend his support even though he could no longer run because of failing health.

Through the years, Kenney also was a member of the Lake Forest American Legion, the Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Rotary Club and the Lake Forest-Lake Bluff Chamber of Commerce.

Survivors include his son Patrick, his daughter-in-law, his grandson, seven siblings and his former wife.

Services have been held. Donations may be made in Kenney’s memory to St. Martin de Porres High School, 515 S. Martin Luther King Ave., Waukegan, IL 60085.