Joseph Charles Kennedy, 96, formerly of Bedford and Lexington, has died of natural causes on February 1st at Brooksby Village in Peabody.

Joe was the beloved father of Dr. Kathleen A. Kennedy and her wife Jean Vaskey of Great Falls, MT; Prof. David I. Kennedy and his wife Holly of Shippensburg, PA; Matthew D. Kennedy of Bedford; Daniel J. Kennedy and his wife Rachel of Blue Hill, ME; and Joshua Q. Kennedy and his wife Tatjana Saccio of Chelmsford.  He also leaves his much loved grandchildren Caleb and Sarah of Craftsbury, Vermont; Emily and Daniel of Pittsburgh, PA; Iris of Storrs, CT; and Noah of Washington, D.C.  An only child, Joe was predeceased in 2018 by Dorothy (Mintzlaff) Kennedy, his wife of 56 years.

Born and raised in Dover, NJ, Joe served four years in the U.S. Navy.  He attended Seton Hall University, Columbia University, and University of Michigan, embarking on a career teaching English at Michigan, University of North Carolina at Greensboro (then the Woman's College of UNC) and from 1963-78 Tufts University.

Under the pen name of X.J. Kennedy, Joe had a long and celebrated career as a poet for both adults and children, and as a textbook editor.  In his poetry career that saw him win numerous awards he always championed rhymed, metered verse, and continued publishing into his late eighties.  Millions of college students have used his poetry, literature, and writing textbooks which were often co-edited by Dorothy from their home on Fern Way in Bedford.  He frequently visited the schools of Bedford to share his poetry and love of writing.  After 31 years as Bedford residents Joe and Dorothy moved to Lexington in 1998.  Joe will be remembered for his love of the movie King Kong, the music of Guy Lombardo and countless others, and for the air trumpet performances that punctuated his poetry readings and, occasionally, his kitchen conversations.

A burial service for friends and family is planned for later this year.