JAMES STROH KENADY arrived at West Point in July 1965, one of several football players from the Minnesota area. Born on March 24, 1946 in Spokane, Washington, Jim grew up in Minnesota and, after graduating from high school in South St. Paul, enrolled in The Manlius School, Manlius NY, to attain the appointment to West Point that he had so hoped for in high school. Jim's love of sports, especially baseball, was only exceeded by his love of country, family and West Point. Jim went home to be with the Lord on July 23, 1992 in Apple Valley, Minnesota, after suffering a heart attack. He left a wife and 2 great children, parents, brothers, many nieces and nephews, and a grandson born almost a year later. Those of us who knew Jim have been forever touched by his friendship and warmth as a human being.
As one of the charter members of the now infamous “F-2 Zoo”, Jim (Cat) Kenady was a friend to everyone. While his Corps squad football playing took him out of the company area a great deal of the time, roommates and classmates knew they could always count on Jim being there when he was needed. Jim always seemed to feel that he was so fortunate to be able to attend such a prestigious “boys’ school back east” and play one of the sports he so loved, that even though he did his share of complaining about our restricted lives, his love for the academy was always visible to those who knew him well. One can’t ever recall Jim without seeing that infectious smile and a willingness to help anyone in need. While most of us had our good days and bad, Jim seemed to always go through the day with the attitude that he was the luckiest person alive.
Having his “good friend from Minnesota, Nan” living and working in New York City turned out to be the source of his constant happiness. Jim and Nan Joy Schwager were married on June 28th, and his “best friend” became his best friend for life!
Commissioned in the Infantry, Jim headed to Ft. Benning for the Basic Course and Airborne and Ranger schools. He spent six months at Ft. Hood, TX and then headed to Jungle School in Panama, prior to an assignment with the First Infantry Division in Vietnam. He served in Vietnam from August 1970 to August 1971. While there he was promoted to Captain and awarded the Bronze Star. Upon his return, Jim was assigned to the Airborne School at Ft. Benning, where he served as an instructor in the Ground School and then as Executive Officer. He became a “Master-Blaster,” completing more than 100 airborne jumps. He held a very special place in his heart, and respect, for all Airborne Rangers!
With the military cutbacks at the end of the Vietnam War, Jim elected to join the private sector, and resigned his commission in July 1974. He took a position with Scott Company of California for a short time and then became a Production Manager for McGaw Laboratories in Irvine California. He later moved to Shiley Laboratories, a division of Pfizer Corporation, and ultimately moved his family back to the Twin Cities to take a VP for Operations position with Schneider USA, another Pfizer company, where he worked until his untimely heart attack.
Jim’s love for West Point never faltered, and he became an active member of his local West Point Society. He was a founding member of the Orange County California chapter. He also continued to support Army sports programs as an avid member of the Army Athletic Association. Nan recalls that his favorite casual wear was a gray AAA T-shirt and shorts! He was so proud to see West Point become a family tradition, as his brother, Fred ’73, and nephew, Brian ‘96 became members of the Long Gray Line. His son, Jake, also received an appointment, but opted to play professional baseball instead. As the world’s greatest baseball fan, Jim was equally pleased with that choice!
When the Class of ‘69 returned to West Point for our twentieth reunion in the fall of 1989, Jim was one of those people who showed up looking like he did as a cadet. He looked like he could put on a dress gray uniform and be easily mistaken for a cadet! The return to the Academy that fall revealed the same twinkle in the eye and the same love for the Academy that we all knew Jim possessed. There are so many more things that we wish we would have taken the time to say had we known that Jim was not going to be there for our twenty-fifth reunion. The bond formed during the four years at West Point can only be understood by those who experience it. That is why it is so difficult to say farewell to any classmate who leaves us before his time. Jim, we all salute you and echo the words ’’...Well done, be thou at peace.”