Donald Kennedy

Funeral services for Donald Edwin Kennedy, Jr., 83, will be held on Wednesday, February 14, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. at Rose-Neath Funeral Home, 2201 Airline Dr., Bossier City, Louisiana. Burial will follow at Rose-Neath Cemetery in Bossier City, Louisiana. A visitation will be held from 12:00 p.m. until service time. Officiating the service will be Reverend Jackie Lewis.

Donald was born on January 7, 1941 to Donald Edwin Kennedy, Sr., and Martha Louise Rosenblath Kennedy in Shreveport, Louisiana, and passed away Thursday, February 8, 2024 in Bossier City, Louisiana.

Donald was a jack of all trades. There wasn’t a thing he couldn’t figure out. He started his career building homes. He had a company called Kennedy Homes that he ran for years until he heard his calling for car mechanics. Known as “Turbo Don”, he opened a shop called Performance Automotive and Transmission Center, also known as PATC. It was there that he rebuilt many cars into muscle cars. When he wasn’t turning cars into mean machines, he was building his website, Transmissioncenter.net. He was a real craftsman, but his talents weren’t limited to nuts and bolts. He created many beautiful pieces of stained-glass art that captured the eyes of many.

Donald was quite the jokester, playing silly pranks on those around him. He loved cats and was something of a bird whisperer. He could be seen feeding the neighborhood cats and birds of all kinds. He was a very passionate man, but his greatest love was his wife, Trudy. She was his best friend and they loved traveling the country together. He loved spending time with his family, and they thought of him as a loving father and husband. In the words of his loving wife, my man, my Prince Charming, the day I met you, I found my missing piece. You complete me and make me a better person. I was a little late to be your first, but I want all my lasts to be with you. I love you, Don.

Donald was preceded in death by his parents and grandson, Jack Dylan Kennedy. He is survived by wife, Trudy Marie Evans Kennedy; children, John Douglas Kennedy, Annette Ladon Johnson, Brandy Lynn Rupert, Saunya Lazelle Hill and Priscilla Marie Bilyeu; grandchildren, Josh Daltyn Kennedy, Cody Gibson Christian, Mercer Garrett Christian, Harvey Wyatt Christian, Savannah Marie Terry, Ronnie Driggers, Amberlie Paige Rupert, Ashlie Nicole Persilver, Ty Hill, Haley Solis, Chelsea Hill, Shianne Masterson, Hunter Masterson, Kaylynn Masterson, Joshua James Foster, Jacob Ryan Foster, Jared Michael and Angelo Foster; his 21 great-grandchildren; brother, Keith Kennedy; and sister, Barbara Miller.

Honoring Donald as pallbearers will be Zack Jackson, Brad Bookter, Jeff Bolick, Steve Garriga, Dylan Francis, and Jim Francis.

The family would like to express special thanks to all of our employees and customers, and a special thank you to Jim, Mariska, and to my best friend, Jeff.