Dr. John Halisey "Spike" Kennedy

Dr. John Halisey "Spike" Kennedy of Portland and Camp Sherman, died peacefully in his sleep at age 94 on November 5, 2024. Born in Newark, Ohio on February 9, 1930, to Eve and William Kennedy, Spike was the youngest of three children and spent his youth in Newark where he developed a lifelong passion for trains.

Dr. John Halisey "Spike" Kennedy

A pioneer in his field, Spike was Chief of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the Rehabilitation Institute of Oregon (RIO) at Good Samaritan Hospital, one of the nation's first centers dedicated to physical rehabilitation and recovery. He also served as President of the Multnomah County Medical Society and as a Trustee of the Oregon Medical Association.

A graduate of Denison University (Phi Gamma Delta) and Ohio State University, he earned degrees in Internal Medicine and a specialty in Physical and Rehabilitative Medicine. Spike met the love of his life, Barbara June Spiegel, while they were both undergrads at Denison.

They married in 1955 during his second year of medical school and shared 65 happy years.

In 1970, Dr. Kennedy relocated from Ohio to Portland, Oregon, with his wife and four children to join RIO. The Kennedys still talk about the epic, cross-country road trip they took in the family station wagon.

The Kennedy family quickly adapted to life in Oregon where they converted a historic barn into a cherished family residence. For over five decades, the Portland home was the heart of countless celebrations, including holiday gatherings, RIO-themed parties, community events, and family milestones. The family has many fond memories of spending summers together at their Camp Sherman cabin on the Metolius River.

Dr. Kennedy is remembered for the countless lives he touched through his groundbreaking medical work, his lifelong love of locomotives, and his devotion to his family. He traveled on every passenger rail line in the U.S. and Canada and on the Orient Express. He always wore his train pin hat and suspenders and often shared these adventures with his grandchildren.

Dr. Kennedy is survived by children Hal Kennedy (Holly), Lori Kennedy (Reynold Schweickhardt), Sean Kennedy (Michael Hubbard), and Tara Kennedy Barton (Bruce); seven grandchildren, John Kennedy (Amanda Moreland), Sarah Kennedy, Anne Kennedy, Campbell Schweickhardt (Bree), Katie Schweickhardt, Demaree Barton, Will Barton, and two great-grandchildren, Jane and Claire Kennedy.

His beloved wife Barbara predeceased him in 2020.

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