Kennedy, Gordon 'Gordy' T.

Gordon “Gordy” T. Kennedy, 60, of Cedar Rapids, died surrounded by his family on Thursday, March 31, 2011, at Mercy Medical Center, Cedar Rapids. Funeral Mass: 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 5, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Cedar Rapids, by the Rev. Christopher Podhajsky. Visitation: 4 to 8 p.m. Monday at Stewart Baxter Funeral & Memorial Services, Cedar Rapids, with a vigil service at 7 p.m. Burial: Mount Calvary Cemetery, Cedar Rapids.

Survivors include his wife, Mary; mother, Betty Kennedy of Cedar Rapids; two daughters, Amy Soukup and Ashley Soukup; granddaughter, Emmy Baskerville; siblings, Cathy (Don) Jones of Cedar Rapids, Patricia (Steve) Hopkins of El Cajon, Calif., Mike Kennedy of Chicago, Don Kennedy of Palm Springs, Calif., and Ron Kennedy of Cedar Rapids.

Also nieces and nephews, Karie (Scott) Schroeder, Tim, Patrick and Kevin “KJ” Jones and Molly and Danielle Hopkins; his extended Rathje family; and his cat, Snoopie.

Gordy was born April 15, 1950, in Cedar Rapids, the son of Herbert and Betty (Gordon) Kennedy. He attended Immaculate Conception and graduated from Regis High School in 1968 and Loras College in 1972. On May 19, 1994, Gordy married Mary Rathje in Cedar Rapids. He worked for Farmstead Foods and then the Cedar Rapids Community School District. Gordy was associated with the Iowa High School Athletic Association for 19 years, officiating for basketball, baseball, softball and volleyball.

He volunteered for the Iowa Special Olympics and spent a lot of time working with autistic and special needs kids with the Cedar Rapids schools. Gordy enjoyed sports and was an avid Hawkeye, Cubs and Packer fan. He and Mary did a lot of traveling to many destinations every year.

Gordy was preceded in death by his father, Herbert.

Memorials are suggested to the Iowa Special Olympics.

The family requests those attending his visitation on Monday to wear the colors and clothing of the Iowa Hawkeyes.

Please sign the online guest book and share a memory about Gordy at