WORCESTER – Parvaneh (Youssefian) Kennedy, 65, a long-time resident of Worcester, died Tuesday, March 11, 2008, in University Commons Nursing Care Center after a very long illness.
Mrs. Kennedy leaves her husband, Michael “Barney” Kennedy, of Holden, and a step-son, John Fitzgerald Kennedy of Orlando, FL, in addition to a sister and brother-in-law, Mehrnoush and Riaz Bassim, their daughter Neda and grandson Mateen, all of Herndon, VA; a younger sister, Minoo Youssefian, of Livorno, Italy, and youngest brother and sister-in-law, Abbas and Ruhiyyah Youssefian and their three daughters, Valeh, Sheyda and Delara, all of London, England. She leaves numerous aunts and cousins throughout Europe, Africa, Iran and California.
Mrs. Kennedy was born in Teheran, Iran, the second daughter of Nourolláh and Sarahi Youssefian. She earned a Bachelors degree in English and taught high-school English there. She moved to Livorno, Italy in 1960, where she continued to teach English as well as the Bahá’í Faith. She met then-SSG Kennedy and John in 1979, while he was stationed at Camp Darby, Leghorn, Italy, and married in 1980. From her marriage in 1980 until their retirement, she accompanied her husband and son on tours of duty in Stutt-gart, Germany; Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD and Möringen, Germany for their final assignment. She was a loving wife and mother.
Upon Mr. Kennedy’s retirement from the U.S. Army in 1989, they decided to settle in Worcester, where Mrs. Kennedy became an enthusiastic and active member of the Worcester Bahá’í Community and the Central Mass Bahá’í Cluster. She will certainly be sorely missed by both.
A Funeral Service for Mrs. Kennedy will be held at Nordgren Memorial Chapel, 300 Lincoln Street, on Saturday, March 15, at 10 a.m., with burial at Hope Cemetery to follow. Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of one’s choice.