John Scott Kenney, a loving father and beloved Pop Pop, passed away peacefully on May 23rd in Hamburg, New Jersey, after a long and brave battle with blood cancer. Surrounded by his loved ones, John fought until the very end with remarkable strength, courage, and grit.
John grew up in Dedham, Massachusetts and East Islip, Long Island, where he spent his high school years as a football and track star. After high school, he enjoyed and took part in the Summer of ’69 before going on to attend Hobart and William Smith College, where he formed some of the greatest friendships of his life.
John built a life rooted in creativity, connection, and storytelling. He traveled and explored the world with curiosity and an open heart, taking on a colorful range of work and collecting stories along the way, until a growing interest in photography began to shape the path ahead. He later attended Parsons School of Design, sharpening the creative instinct that would guide so much of his life.
He spent over 40 years in the photography industry, first as a photographer and then as a representative for photographers, building his company, JK&. He took pride in every person he represented and in the relationships he formed across the advertising world. John brought people together and built community wherever he went. He had a gift for recognizing the moments worth capturing. He also loved music and poetry, which were another way he understood and connected with the world.
John had a deep love for running, spending countless hours training through the streets of New York City, where he was fiercely competitive. He completed six marathons over the years, with his final one run side by side with his son, Sean, a fitting tribute to a man who never stopped moving forward.
He raised his two children, Sean and Alexandra, with their mother, Deborah Clifford, in Yorktown Heights, New York, where he lived for 25 years. Being their father was the center of his life. He adored his children, took deep pride in them, and built a home full of warmth and creativity. There, he grew an extraordinary garden, expansive, beautiful, and cared for with the same patience and devotion that shaped his life.
In his later years, John shared his life with his partner, Peggy Williams, splitting time between Denver and New Jersey. Together they built a joyful life filled with love, travel, golf, time with family, and the quieter pleasures he had earned after a remarkable career.
Above all, John was a beloved Pop Pop. His three granddaughters, McKayla, Margot, and Maeve, brought him endless joy. He loved them deeply and took such pride in being their grandfather. More grandchildren are yet to come, and they will know him through the stories, photographs, music, and love he leaves behind.
John is survived by his son, Sean Kenney, and his wife, Andrea Kenney; his daughter, Alexandra Lennox, and her husband, Stephen Lennox; and his three beloved granddaughters, McKayla, Margot, and Maeve Lennox. He is also survived by his partner, Peggy Williams; his former wife, Deborah Clifford, and her partner, Manny Sevdalis; his brother, Philip Kenney, and his wife, Mary Lou Kenney; his sister-in-law, Wendy Kenney, and her children, Daniel Kenney-Jung and his wife, Jessica Kenney-Jung, Linny Kenney and her husband, Wyatt Knox, and Caiti Kenney-Canfield and her husband, Benson Canfield, and their daughter, Simone Kenney-Canfield. John was predeceased by his brother, Daniel Kenney.
Through his company Stray Bryds, John finally brought his life’s work into the world: a body of photography built over decades, representing the vision he had always dreamed of sharing. With a newly launched website and a photographic book to come, it stands as a testament to everything he saw, felt, and believed was worth capturing.
John will be remembered for his humor, creativity, kindness, courage, and the love he gave so freely. He lived with heart and curiosity. His love remains with all who knew him, in every story, every laugh, every photograph, every song, and every beautiful thing that reminds us of him.
Fly on, Stray Byrd.
In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family kindly asks that donations be made to Blood Cancer Uni (https://bloodcancerunited.org) in John’s memory.
