Col. Edward Kenny, Jr.

Edward W. Kenny Jr., Col., USAF Ret, died of heart failure on 25 April 2013 in Farmville, Virginia. He is survived by three sons: Keith and his wife Carole Duff of Roseland, Kit and his wife Alice of Columbia, NC, Kim and his wife Margaret of Crewe; and three daughters: Karen Robeson and her husband Palmer of Leesburg, Kolleen Kidd and her husband Raymond of Leesburg, Kelly Simonsen and her husband Christian of Youngsville, NC; his brother Donald R. Kenny of Northglenn, CO; six grandchildren, Alexander Kenny, Steven and Jennifer Robeson, Laura Donohue, Andrew Kidd, and Carson Kenny; and one great granddaughter, Katherine Donohue. Col. Kenny was preceded in death by his wife of 62 years and HS sweetheart, Phyllis, formerly Phyllis Bender, and his granddaughter, Gretchen Kenny.
 ‘Big Ed’ was born in Detroit, Michigan, on 27 January 1924. A career Air Force officer and fighter pilot, he served in WWII and in the Korean and Vietnam conflicts, and the Cuban Missile Crisis. In 1954, the young Capt. Kenny flew the F-84 Thunderstreak, winning the Bendix Air Trophy Race and setting a world speed record of 616.2 mph flying from Edwards AFB, CA, to Dayton, OH.
The family will receive friends from 6 to 8:00 p.m. on 1 May (Wednesday) at the Shorter Funeral Home. The following day, 2 May at 11 a.m., a memorial service will be held at St. John's Lutheran Church of Farmville. In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be sent to St. John’s. A graveside service will be held in a few weeks at the Arlington National Cemetery.