Roland Pudge Kennedy

Roland "Pudge" Kennedy, 74, of Antwerp, Ohio passed away at home on Sunday, January 11, 2026

Pudge was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana on December 5, 1951, a son of the late Fairy (Potts) and Paul Kennedy.

He served in the U.S. Army in the Vietnam War. Pudge returned to Antwerp to work in his family business, Kennedy Trenching and Excavating, which he owned since 1978. He never turned away a call to help, no matter the hour of the day. He served 32 years on the Antwerp Fire and EMS and was a Life Member of the Antwerp VFW and American Legion Posts. Pudge tirelessly cared for the Antwerp cemeteries his entire life. Antwerp will be hard pressed to see another person work as much as Pudge did for his community. Although his commitment to Antwerp was unquestionable, his true love was his family. His wife, Linda, was the center of his world. His children and grandchildren made him most proud.

Pudge will be sadly missed by his wife, Linda (Handy) to whom he was married April 11, 1975; daughters, Sarah (Dale) McCorkle and Greta (Jeremy) Kosch; siblings, Barbara (Ken) Thiel, Carrie (the late Richard "Casey") Jones and Hazen (Ava) Kennedy; sister-in-law, Ruth Kennedy; brother-in-law, William Hostetler and grandchildren, Brendan (Jasmyn) McCorkle, Spencer McCorkle, Griffin Kosch and Olivia Kosch.

He was also preceded in death by his siblings, John Kennedy and Diane Hostetler

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Saturday, January 17th, 10 am at Divine Mercy Catholic Church, 203 W Townline Street, Payne, Ohio.

Pudge will be laid to rest, after his funeral Mass, in Maumee Cemetery, Antwerp.

You are invited to celebrate his life on Saturday, January 17th from 1 PM to 3 PM at Grant's Catering, 503 E Canal Street, Antwerp.

Memorials may be made to Paulding County Nurses Auxiliary, 250 Dooley Drive, Paulding, Ohio 45879.

Fond memories may be shared at dooleyfuneralhome.com

FLOWERS AND OTHER TRIBUTES MAY BE DELIVERED TO GRANT'S CATERING, ANYTIME ON FRIDAY, 8 AM TO NOON AND SATURDAY AFTER 8 AM.