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Alvin Gary Kennedy, 81-year-old resident of Vici, Oklahoma, passed from this life on June 19, 2020 in his home. Gary was born on February 6, 1939 at Shattuck, Oklahoma to his parents Alvin Albert and Lola Fay (Castor) Kennedy. Gary attended Vici Public Schools for 12 years and graduated with the Class of ’57. Gary moved around for a few years as a child, living in places like Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; Woodward, Oklahoma; and the family farm outside of Vici. On February 7, 1958, Gary married the love of his life Helen (Lynes) Kennedy at the First Christian Church in Vici, Oklahoma. To this union was born three children- daughter Annette Louise, son Brent Alvin, and daughter Cindy Renee.
Following his marriage, Gary and family lived in a couple different places, including Oklahoma City; Guymon, Oklahoma; family farm outside Vici; and finally, Vici. While living in Guymon, Gary became the CEO of Panhandle Telephone Cooperative. Gary used his leadership position to develop the rural telecommunication networks to match even metropolitan networks. Through his tireless efforts, Gary laid out this foundation by convincing both state and federal leaders that rural America deserved this type of network. During this time, Gary was on a first name basis with members of the Senate and the House of Representatives with both the federal United States and the state of Oklahoma. On two occasions, the Governor of Oklahoma even stayed at Gary’s home in Guymon. Gary led the fight to build the capacity for distance learning for the school children of rural communities, and to lay the groundwork in rural America for a growing network that would eventually be called the Internet. He earned such honors as receiving an Outstanding Manager Nationwide award, and the Oklahoma Telephone Hall of Fame award, and numerous others. Gary was well-known at the state and national levels of the telecommunication industry.
Gary enjoyed OU football, basketball, and softball. Some other teams that he enjoyed were the OKC Thunder and the St. Louis Cardinals. Gary also liked horse racing, fishing, and hunting. Gary was a member of Kiwanis, he coached all his children in Kids Inc., a member of the NTCA, he was the president of Guymon’s Handicap Workshop, and a member of the Oklahoma Telephone Association. Gary was a member of the First Christian Church of Vici, being baptized in 1960 at the Guymon church. At church, Gary was the Chairman of the Board, the Men’s Fellowship President, and the church treasurer.
Gary is preceded in death by his parents Alvin and Lola Kennedy; his father and mother-in-law, Claud and Irene Lynes.
Gary is survived by his wife Helen Kennedy of the home; daughter Annette Kennedy of Oklahoma City; son Brent Kennedy and wife Jodell of Taloga; daughter Cindy Griffin of Vici; grandson Beau Griffin and wife Christa; granddaughter Lauren Hesler and husband Aaron; grandson Jason Kennedy; granddaughter Jennifer Simons; granddaughter Jana Kozy; Jessica Fuentes; great-grandchildren Kirra, Jaxyn, and Emmet Griffin, Felicity, Arivyn and Savannah Simons, Jackson Flatau
Memorial donations may be made to the First Christian Church of Vici, in care of Shaw Funeral Home, P.O. Box 236, Vici, OK 73859.
FUNERAL SERVICE
First Christian Church
Tuesday, June 23, 2020
2:00
PM
W. 5th Street & Main Street
Vici, OK 73859
Burial to follow at Sunnyside Cemetery.
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