Kennedy, Jr., Alvin Andrew

Alvin (“Jay”) Andrew Kennedy, Jr., 50, of Princeton, WV, went home to be with the Lord he so faithfully served on Thursday, January 9, 2025, with his family surrounding him.

Jay was a member of the Wilderness Lighthouse Church of the Lord Jesus Christ and Ravin Field’s Ministries. He loved the Lord and his church and had an unwavering faith and passion to serve Jesus, who was first and foremost in his life. He loved to worship Jesus and especially loved his former Pastor Charles Clark, who he considered like a grandparent, who ministered to and offered guidance for his walk with Jesus. He used his time to witness and share his faith with everyone he encountered.

Jay had the best sense of humor and would do anything to get a laugh out of someone. He enjoyed being outdoors and loved turkey hunting. He was an avid sports fan, especially the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Jay, who had previously worked in the mines, had a passion for his job as an Engineer at Norfolk and Southern Railroad for 18 years. When he became sick, he spent a lot of time talking to so many of his “railroad buddies.”

Jay was a family man who loved his family and was labeled Momma’s boy. He will be greatly missed by those who loved him.

Jay was preceded in death by his “Momma”, Loraine Thompson Kennedy, who was very precious to him, his paternal grandparents, Alex & Maggie Kennedy and his maternal grandparents, Andrew & Reba Thompson and his step-grandmother, Correine Thompson.

Left to cherish his memory are his loving wife, Tonya England Kennedy; his children, Hayden Kennedy, Holden Kennedy and Hailey & Mickey Hughes; his father & stepmother, Alvin, Sr. & Pauline Kennedy; his sisters & brothers-in-law, Pam & Jamie Tucker, of Bluefield, WV and Rose & Michael Brown, of Roanoke, VA; his in-laws, Leonard England and Barbara & Howard Walker; his niece and nephew, Katelyn Tucker and Jacob Brown; his special caregiver, Charity Winterrowd; his church family, whom he loved dearly and several special aunts, uncles, cousins and special friends.

Funeral services will be held Wednesday, January 15, 2025 at 2:00 P.M. at Wilderness Lighthouse Church of the Lord Jesus Christ, in Holly Brook, with pastor Duane Bailey and Pastor Ravin Fields officiating. The family will receive friends at the church from 12:00 P.M. until service time, 2:00 P.M.

Due to inclement conditions, burial will be in Morning Star Cemetery, Bland, at a later date.

The family would like to offer special thanks to their church family for their outpouring of love and support over the last weeks of Jay’s life.

The Kennedy family is in the care of A. Vest & Sons Funeral Home, White Gate, avestandsons.com, (540) 921-2985.