Bench To Be Dedicated in Honor of Waltham Woman

Nobody can question how much Janet Read Kennedy loved Waltham.

Kennedy, who passed away after a bout with Alzheimers in 2010, worked as secretary at Waltham High School in the 1950s, but could often be found cleaning up the area of Woerd Avenue boat launch. She would also feed the nearby animals.

To honor her spirit and dedication, a memorial bench will be dedicated in her honor on April 17 at the boat launch, according to her daughter, Christa Mansur. The dedication will be held at 11:30 a.m. A luncheon will be held at afterward.

“As a dedicated servant of the community … she just loved waltham,” Mansur told Waltham Patch in a phone interview.

Kennedy often transported injuried animals to rescue centers for assistance, according to Mansur. She also supported the Circle Of Rememberance on the City Common along with her husband William Kennedy. The pair met during the blizzard of 1978, according to Mansur.

Even after her diagnosis in 2001, Kennedy continued to feed birds near the boat launch. With the bench now installed, Kennedy's spirit will linger along with the animals she loved.