Harold E. Kennedy

Harold E. Kennedy, 84, of Jasper passed away on Friday, December 30, 2022. A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Tuesday, January 3, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at Tanglewood Baptist Church in Jasper. The graveside service will be held at 3:00 p.m. at Salem Cemetery in Bloomburg, Texas on Tuesday. The family will greet friends on Monday, January 2, 2023 from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. at Shultz Funeral Home in Jasper.

Harold was born on October 4, 1938 in Kilgore, Texas to E. D. &Audrey Bardwell Kennedy. He graduated from Kountze High School in 1957, attended Lon Morris Jr. College on a basketball scholarship, and graduated from Lon Morris in 1959. He began his life’s work in Criminal Justice in 1960 as a Police Officer with the City of Houston. He left in 1966 to return to Sam Houston State University to complete his college degree. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice and Economics. He worked as a counselor for the Mountain View School for Boys in Gatesville, Texas from 1966 to 1968. He was employed by the Texas Youth Council from 1968 to 1970 and from 1970 to 1973 he was an Adult Probation Officer for the County of Dallas. In 1973 until 1976, he was the Project Director and Chief Probation Officer of the newly created First Judicial District Probation Department. He established probation offices in each of the four counties, where none had previously existed. In 1977 he was appointed by the Commissioner’s Court to fill a two-year unexpired term as Jasper County Judge. He was also elected for two more full terms of four years each. He decided not to run for re-election in 1987 for a third term, due to the illness of his daughter. He did return to his position at the First Judicial District Probation Department until his retirement in 2001. He received many honors and awards from State and County entities while he was County Judge and a Probation Officer. While he was County Judge, he established the first Jasper County Retirement System and was responsible for the building of the new Jasper County Jail. He was elected and served as a member of the Jasper Memorial Hospital District Board of Trustees in 1994. He was an ordained deacon of Tanglewood Baptist Church of Jasper in 1974, where he taught Sunday School classes until a few years ago when his health declined.

He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Olivia Kennedy of Jasper; son Steven Kennedy &wife Lynda of San Antonio; daughter Treva Kennedy Sullins &husband Danny of Lumberton; grandchildren Judd Kennedy &wife Lauren of San Antonio, Krysten Kennedy Schulmeier &husband Nathan of San Antonio, and Patrick Sullins &wife Michaela of Kountze; great grandchildren Colson and Parker Kennedy, Barrett and Jasper Schulmeier, and Ryann and Abilene Sullins. There was also a very special love for his nephew Jason Hall &wife Sophie, and his daughter Grace of Rosenberg. He was preceded in death by his parents E.D. &Audrey Bardwell Kennedy, his baby brother Judd Wayne Kennedy, and his beloved sister Jane Kennedy Hall. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Tanglewood Baptist Church, the Gideon’s International, or the charity of your choice. Condolences can be posted at www.shultzfuneralhomeofjasper.com or on Facebook at Shultz Funeral Home of Jasper.