Jean A. Kennedy

September 10, 1938 - June 28, 2014

HARTWICK - Jean A. Kennedy, 75, of Cooperstown, passed away peacefully at her home surrounded by her family Saturday afternoon, June 28, 2014.

She was born September 10, 1938, at The Methodist Hospital of Brooklyn, a daughter of Stanislaus C. and Ethel A. (Smith) Kennedy, who were both natives of Newfoundland.

Jean was raised in the Prospect Park area of Brooklyn and attended Holy Name of Jesus Roman Catholic Church. At the age of 10, she and her family moved to Manhattan.

For many years, the family owned a camp and cottage in Nashua, New Hampshire, and when Jean was a teenager, the family moved there permanently in order that her father might return to working in the fishing industry, a family trade.

After graduating from Nashua High School in 1956, Jean went to work for a local attorney, and then married John P. Briggs.

After living for a time on Long Island, Jean and John and their family moved to the Cooperstown area to her husband's family property, where they established Cooperstown Family Campground on Petkewec Road.

Jean later developed a desire to work outside of the home and became a social services investigator and Resource Unit Supervisor for the Otsego County Department of Social Services. Always interested in furthering her education, she began taking classes in 1999 at Herkimer County Community College, and after nine years earned an associate's degree in business administration. During this time period she also took several courses at Utica College.

A faithful Roman Catholic, Jean was a communicant of St. Mary's "Our Lady of the Lake" Roman Catholic Church in Cooperstown. Through the years, she enjoyed playing hand bells, and was a member of the Buckingham Ringers, the adult hand bell choir at First United Methodist Church in Oneonta.  

Jean is survived by her one son, Christopher Briggs and his wife, Tamara, of Hartwick, and their children, Caitlin, Noah, Joshua and Andrew; her one daughter, Anita Briggs Jones and her husband, Lyle "Butch" Jones, of Hartwick; one brother, James J. Kennedy of New York City; one sister, Mary P. O'Neill of Nashua, New Hampshire; and a niece, nephew, and cousin.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her two brothers, William C. Kennedy and Fr. Stanley T. Kennedy.

Friends may call at the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown on Sunday, July 6, 2014 from 6-8 p.m. when Jean's family will be in attendance.

The Liturgy of Christian Burial will be offered at 11 a.m. on Monday, July 7, 2014 at St. Mary's "Our Lady of the Lake" Roman Catholic Church in Cooperstown, with Fr. John P. Rosson, pastor, officiating. The Service of Committal and Burial will follow in St. Mary's Cemetery, Index.

Memorial donations may be made to the Hartwick Emergency Squad, P.O. Box 208, Hartwick, NY 13348 or Catskill Area Hospice and Palliative Care, 1 Birchwood Drive, Oneonta, NY 13820.

Arrangements are under the care and guidance of the Connell, Dow & Deysenroth Funeral Home in Cooperstown.


If you would like to send condolences to the family, send an email to Connell, Dow & Deysenroth. We will forward your comments to the family. If you would like to send flowers in memory of the deceased, contact Mohican Flowers at (607) 547-8822, or A Rose is a Rose at (607) 264-3100.