Gray County has had three county judges since 1979. But the community lost one of them Oct. 11 when Carl Edgar Kennedy, who served as county judge for four terms from 1979-1995, passed away.
The Pampa News sat down with two of his three sons, twins Worley and Wiley, and one of his daughters, Kendra, on Thursday, who remembered their father while serving as county judge.
Serving as county judge
“He certainly was very respected,” Worley said. “Anyone you talked to spoke highly of him. He was the first Republican elected in the County in a long time. It was at that time that this area, because of the political climate all over, was changing. Following him there were a number of Republicans, where today that’s probably a larger number.”
Worley added Carl spoke about his job as county judge as a service to the community.
“He didn’t mind being a public figure per se,” Worley said. “But it was important to him to serve the taxpayers.”
Kendra remembers Carl running a “tight ship” at the County and expecting the County employees to serve the taxpayers well.
“I remember how important it was to Dad that the County didn’t take a bunch of extra holidays,” Kendra said. “They were employees of the County and of the people. They took some holidays but days like Columbus Day they wouldn’t have gotten to take off because they were employees of the people.”
Along with that, Carl was always efficient with how money was spent at the County.
Current Gray County commissioner Joe Wheeley, who served along side Carl from 1989-1995, remembers working with Carl.
“Carl was the first judge that I sat with on the commissioners court,” Wheeley said. “He was kind of my teacher. Carl was always humble, friendly, easy-going and you could tell that he always put a lot of thought into what he said and he was just a pleasure to work with. It was truly an honor to sit on the commissioners court with Carl Kennedy.”
Carl was instrumental in selling Highland General Hospital and getting the new contract for what is now Pampa Regional Medical Center and building Gray County Jail. He also helped bring in Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
Carl was also the Gray County judge after the Celanese plant explosion in 1987.
“That was traumatic to the community,” Worley said.
“There was an emergency (committee), that’s still exists today, that didn’t have anything to do with Dad per se, that handled it. Being the top elected official in the County it was his responsibility to be available to help make decisions that might have needed to be made. He was humble and would have deferred to the experts on what was going on. Dad was humble, knew his role.”
A proponent of Pampa development, Carl developed his father-in-law’s land into what is today Walnut Creek subdivision.
The humility and integrity stemmed from Carl’s faith in Jesus Christ and Worley said “he was the same in public as he was at home.”
Carl Kennedy’s integrity and servant attitude
Kendra added with a chuckle that Carl didn’t even tell “white lies.”
Wiley recalls a story from Carl’s last day as County judge.
“He went and purchased a package of paper to put in the printer/copier because he didn’t want there to be ever said of him that he took anything from the County,” Wiley said. “So he replaced paper just in case at some point he had used and printed anything personal.”
Worley, who counsels through Redeemed Hearts Christian Counseling Center, found his calling through being raised in the faith by Carl and his mother, Pat.
“Jesus was his first love, and because of that he loved my mom for 60 years very well,” Worley said. “He was very devoted and cherished her. In leading me to Christ, that set out a journey that affected the course of my life. My giftedness is calling what you see here at Redeemed Hearts. It’s continued to affect people, help people and strengthen people.”
Both Worley and Wiley are ordained ministers. Wiley echoed what Worley said.
“The reason I’m in ministry today is not because of so much of what he said but the statements he would make in terms of the Golden Rule, ‘Do unto others as you would have done unto to you,’ and ‘if you wish yourself well-served, serve yourself,’” Wiley said.
Simple examples of these words were letting the elders eat first and how Carl took care of his parents. Worley said another Carl line that stuck with them was “It’s never wrong to do what’s right.”
Carl had Parkinson’s Disease and a component of dementia toward the end of his life, but that never shook his patience.
“He was always patient,” Worley said. “He was patient all throughout life. Patient with his disease and the people taking care of him. He recognized we were trying to help him.”
Wiley said he heard stories about Carl’s service to his family as a child while homebound with Perth’s disease, something as simple as listening to the news and sharing with his family the state of World War II. But that wasn’t the only thing he did for his family, particularly his mother.
“Back in that day they would listen to soaps on the radio,” Wiley said. “I don’t remember which particular soap but it was a 15-minute soap. So his mom asked him to listen to that and she would come home and he would give her the details of the soap. So he would give them the war news and the soaps.”
Life after public office
Carl Kennedy was instrumental in founding several churches, including Faith Bible Church and Bible Church in Pampa. He served as an elder on both.
Whether a young couple in the church or in the community, Kendra said he reached out to help the youth.
“He would help them,” Kendra said. “I remember him going over and helping a young couple remodel their kitchen. Dad was just a helper.”
Carl not only helped Kendra with her Victory House Tea Room and Worley with three properties here in Pampa, but he would even walk his children at a distant over the phone.
“My other sister Trecia lives in Denver and I live in Southern California,” Wiley said. “But when he came on vacation we knew he wanted something to do so we’d create our list. During those stints things got done that would’ve probably never got done....if I had a problem and he wasn’t there, I’d just call him on the phone. This was before I could Google it and find it on YouTube. I’d call him and he’d walk me through the steps.”
All three of the children are fully appreciative of the love and support from the community they have received and know their father has gone home to his Father and was greeted by his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
