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Councilmember Tyron Hampton (center) addresses a vigil mourning the death of Pasadena Councilmember John J. Kennedy on Thursday, July 21, 2022. To the left, James Farr, longtime Pasadena resident, commentator and filmmaker. To the right is Pastor Kerwimn Manning. [Paul Takizawa / Pasadena Now]
Assemblymember Chris Holden addresses a vigil mourning the death of Pasadena Councilmember John J. Kennedy on Thursday, July 21, 2022. [Paul Takizawa / Pasadena Now]
Councilmember Steve Madison addresses the vigil mourning the death of Pasadena Councilmember John J. Kennedy on Thursday, July 21, 2022. [Paul Takizawa / Pasadena Now]
Former Mayor Rick Cole addresses the vigil mourning the death of Pasadena Councilmember John J. Kennedy on Thursday, July 21, 2022. [Paul Takizawa / Pasadena Now]
Brandon Lamar, Kennedy's political oppoent in the June election which Kennedy won, addresses a vigil mourning the death of Pasadena Councilmember John J. Kennedy on Thursday, July 21, 2022. [Paul Takizawa / Pasadena Now]
Emotional Vigil at City Hall Pays Tribute to Councilmember John Kennedy [Paul Takizawa / Pasadena Now]
Councilmember Tyron Hampton (at left) and Pastor Kerwin Manning (at right) steady an emotional James Farr at a vigil mourning the death of Pasadena Councilmember John J. Kennedy on Thursday, July 21, 2022. [Paul Takizawa / Pasadena Now]
Lucious Smith. Pastor at Friendship Baptist Church Pasadena, at a Thursday vigil mourning the death of Pasadena Councilmember John J. Kennedy. [Paul Takizawa / Pasadena Now]
Mourners gather at Pasadena City Hall in tribute to Councilmember John J. Kennedy on Thursday, July 21, 2022. [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Emotional Vigil at City Hall Pays Tribute to Councilmember John Kennedy
Mourners gather at Pasadena City Hall in tribute to Councilmember John J. Kennedy on Thursday, July 21, 2022. [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Emotional Vigil at City Hall Pays Tribute to Councilmember John Kennedy
Mourners gather at Pasadena City Hall in tribute to Councilmember John J. Kennedy on Thursday, July 21, 2022. [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Mourners gather at Pasadena City Hall in tribute to Councilmember John J. Kennedy on Thursday, July 21, 2022. [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Mourners gather at Pasadena City Hall in tribute to Councilmember John J. Kennedy on Thursday, July 21, 2022. [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Former Mayor Rick Cole among mourners gathered at Pasadena City Hall in tribute to Councilmember John J. Kennedy on Thursday, July 21, 2022. [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Emotional Vigil at City Hall Pays Tribute to Councilmember John Kennedy
Mourners gather at Pasadena City Hall in tribute to Councilmember John J. Kennedy on Thursday, July 21, 2022. [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
Mourners gather at Pasadena City Hall in tribute to Councilmember John J. Kennedy on Thursday, July 21, 2022. [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]
City leaders present and past joined dozens of community members on the steps of City Hall Thursday evening to mourn the death of Councilmember John J. Kennedy earlier in the day.
The gathered spoke of Kennedy’s legacy of service to the city he loved, cried, prayed and sang. There were moments of laughter, but mostly expressions of deep sorrow.
Councilmembers Tyron Hampton and Steve Madison, former Councilmember and current Assemblymember Chris Holden, and former Mayor Rick Cole were among those who spoke at the gathering.
“Today we lost an amazing advocate in Pasadena. For me personally, I lost a brother. The passing of John J. Kennedy comes as a shock and it is a tremendous loss,” Hampton said earlier. “Our city is definitely a better place because of John. Everything he did for the community was done with the greatest care and to the highest caliber.”
Cole knew Kennedy from their days at McKinley Junior High and remembers that at least one teacher said the teenager could grow up to be President.
“John was a true son of Pasadena,” said Cole. “He knew people in every corner and at every level of our diverse community. He was passionate about justice, progress and representation and his voice will long be missed.”
Kennedy’s recent election opponent Brandon Lamar also spoke at the gathering. In June, voters had decided to send Kennedy back to the City Council for his third term with nearly 60% of the vote.
“I’m devastated to hear about the passing of Mr. Kennedy,” Lamar told Pasadena Now. “My thoughts and prayers are with his family. John loved this city and his passion for Pasadena will be greatly missed. He has been very instrumental in taking Pasadena and especially District 3 to the place it is now.”
News of Kennedy’s death began to circulate throughout the community Thursday afternoon.
Shortly after the City issued a statement confirming Kennedy’s passing, longtime resident, commentator and filmmaker James Farr organized the vigil.
“Pasadena lost a totemic leader along with multigenerational institutional knowledge,” Farr said. “John was a trailblazer and a generous example of a human that made an appreciable difference in Pasadena.”
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