Obituary of Richard J Kenney

Richard J. Kenney, Sr.  –  Cherry Hill, NJ

(April 11, 1926 – March 12, 2018)

Richard J. Kenney, age 91 of Cherry Hill, passed away on March 12, 2018 at Cadbury in Cherry Hill.

Cherished husband for 65 years of Joan F. Kenney (nee Forebaugh). Loving father of Joan (Larry), Patricia (Jack), Richard (Donna), Michael (Debi), Christine (Chris, deceased), James (Mary Lou) and Maureen (Gary). Devoted grandfather of 15 and great grandfather of 5.  Dear brother of the late Mary K. Wilson, Thomas J. Kenney, Jr., Catherine A. Kenney and Joseph H. Kenney. Also survived by sister-in-law Marge Kenney and many loving nieces and nephews.

Rich was born in Camden and attended Holy Name Grade School. He graduated from Malvern Preparatory School and Villanova University. He proudly served his country as a young sailor in the United States Navy during WWII on the Fletcher-class Destroyer USS Van Valkenburgh (DD-656). Later in life, he shared the story of 15 September 1945, when his ship steamed into Nagasaki harbor, recalling that every available vantage point topside was occupied by men silently taking in the incredible devastation wrought by the atomic bomb that was dropped on the city just over a month earlier.

Rich was an avid sports fan. He was the head coach of the Freshman Football team at Camden Catholic High School during his older brother Tom’s tenure as the Varsity head coach. He was undefeated in the ring as a boxer while attending Malvern Prep, enjoyed performing in the school’s stage productions and was a talented artist. But his true passions later in life were rounds of golf with his life-long friends at Moorestown Field Club, and cheering on the CCHS and Villanova Basketball teams. 

But Rich was most notably known as the gracious and fun-loving Restaurateur of Kenney’s Suburban House, which was a popular establishment in Cherry Hill known for its fine dining, ceremonious banquets and famous home-made snapper soup.

Family and friends are invited to a Visitation on Monday, March 19 from 6-8 PM at the Falco/Caruso & Leonard Funeral Home, 6600 N. Browning Rd, Pennsauken, NJ 08109.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, March 20 at 10:00 AM at Saint Peter Roman Catholic Church, 43 W Maple Ave, Merchantville, NJ, 08109.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the “Camden Catholic High School - Rich and Joan Kenney Scholarship Fund”, c/o Camden Catholic High School, 300 Cuthbert Blvd, Cherry Hill, NJ 08002.