Dr. William Kennedy's Obituary
Dr. William F. Kennedy died Wednesday, October 26, 2005 due to heart failure. He was born in Janesville, Wisconsin on December 3, 1929. He graduated from St. Thomas Military Academy, St. Paul, Minnesota in 1949, where he received all-state honors in basketball. He completed his pre-medical education at Marquette University, Milwaukee, WI in 1952, and was admitted to Marquette University School of Medicine, where he received his MD degree in 1956. After completing his internship at Columbia Hospital, Milwaukee, WI, he served two years in the U.S. Army as a captain assigned to the 4th Infantry Division. He was then accepted into Fellowship Residency Training in Milwaukee under Professor Walter P. Blount. Following his four year orthopedic residency and a traveling fellowship to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Dr. Kennedy opened his independent orthopedic practice in Neenah, Wisconsin in 1963. His entire 31 year orthopedic career was spent at Theda Clark Regional Medical Center. In the early 1980's he established The Kennedy Center for the Hip & Knee at TCRMC. The Kennedy Center continues to be recognized as a leading hip and knee clinic in the Midwest. In 1982, he designed a cementless total hip replacement system (Biomet Taperloc) which remains one of the most commonly used cementless hip components in the U.S. and Europe. Theda Clark Regional Medical Center supported his pioneer hip research by providing a special operating room which allowed hundreds of visiting international surgeons to observe his surgical techniques. Dr. Kennedy authored several scientific orthopedic papers which were published in the orthopedic literature. He also lectured throughout the U.S., Europe, and the Middle East. He was certified by the American Board of Orthopedic Surgeons, and belonged to numerous Orthopedic Societies. Dr. Kennedy retired from the Kennedy Center in 1994. He resided in Waupaca, Wisconsin and Haines City, Florida with his beloved wife, Gina (Griesser) Kennedy. He is survived by his wife, Gina and his six children: Colleen Kennedy (Tom Kelly) , Potomac, Maryland; Michael (Esmarie) Kennedy, San Antonio, Texas; Maureen Kennedy (Gary Kikuchi), Morris Plains, New Jersey; William (Denise) Kennedy, Abrams, Wisconsin; Kathleen Israel Wollersheim (Jeff) , Neenah, Wisconsin; Thomas Kennedy, San Antonio, Texas. He is also survived by eleven grandchildren: Caitlin and Patrick Kelly; Shannon and Daniel Kikuchi; Amber Fross and Brian Kennedy; Patricia, Billy, and James Israel; and Alex and Megan Wollersheim. He is further survived by his brother: Martin (Mary) Kennedy, Janesville, WI and a sister: Carol (Gary) Brahms, Edina, MN. A Memorial Service for family and close friends will be 11:00 AM on Tuesday, November 1, 2005 at Holly Funeral Home Waupaca, Wisconsin. A memorial gathering will be Monday, October 31 from 4:00 - 8:00 PM at Holly Funeral Home in Waupaca. In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established to benefit children with Rett Syndrome, a neurological disorder with which his granddaughter Caitlin Kelly is afflicted. Contributions can be made in memory of Dr. William F. Kennedy: International Rett Syndrome Association (IRSA), 9121 Piscataway Road, Suite 2-B, Clinton, MD 20735.
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