The funeral service for Reubin “Blake” Kennedy Jr., age 32 of Raleigh, NC, will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, January 4, 2019 at the First Baptist Church in Ashland with Pastor Jason Wilson officiating. Burial will follow in the Ashland City Cemetery.
Mr. Kennedy passed away on Friday, December 28, 2018 in Ashland. He was born in Talladega but grew up in Ashland. As a young man, he was a member of the Boy Scouts and while a student at Clay County High School (Class of 2005) he was a drummer in the marching band. After graduation, Mr. Kennedy attended Southern Union State Community College where he participated in the drama program then went on to graduate from Jacksonville State University in 2013 with a degree in geography. He then moved to Texas where he worked as a mapping coordinator for Davey Resources then as a design technician for Nueces Electronic Corporation. In 2016, Mr. Kennedy moved to Raleigh, NC where he worked for Duke Energy as an engineering technologist. He was a member of the First Baptist Church in Ashland, loved video games, playing the drums and spending time with his beloved beagle “Princess.”
Mr. Kennedy is survived by his wife, Haylee Barnett Kennedy and his daughter on the way, Finlee Blake Kennedy of Raleigh, NC; his parents: Reubin and Shirley Kennedy of Ashland; two sisters: Tiffany Kennedy Upchurch (Randall) of Lineville and Tammy Kennedy Thompson (Michael) of Hackneyville; his pet beagle, “Princess”; his mother-in-law, Christy Bryant (Ronald) of Shinbone; his father-in-law, Johnny Barnett (Karan) of Douglasville, GA; one niece, five nephews, four sisters-in-law; one brother-in-law and a large extended family.
Kaleb Bryant, Jeremy Brown, Justin Dean, Ryan White, Ryan Mullinax, Josh Stringfellow, Galen Honea and Robby Whited will serve as pallbearers. The Clay County High School graduating class of 2005 will serve as honorary pallbearers.
The family will receive friends on Thursday, January 3, 2019 from 5:30 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Benefield Funeral Home in Ashland. Send online condolences at benefieldfuneralhome.com.
