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USCG PO3 STEPHEN AUSTIN KENNEDY JAMES

USCG PO3 Stephen Austin Kennedy James of Gloucester, left this world Nov. 23, 2015, held by his parents and sister, surrounded by his four aunts, brother-in-law and friend Aaron, at his family home. He had battled brain cancer twice, first at the age of 21 and after 5 years in remission, again for the past eight months. 

He is survived by grieving parents, Donald James and Eileen Kennedy; sister, Meredith Carver; brother-in-law Chad, and their children Ben and Emery; grandmother, Nellie James; aunts, Susan Kaczaral (Patrick), Mary Madaras (John), Robin Kennedy (Justin Dudley), Michele Davis (Lee); cousins, Jackie, Samantha, Bryan, Lauren, Evan and Allison.

Special friends, Aaron Goetz and Erasmo Rios, were like brothers to him. 

He was preceded in death by grandfathers, Homer James and Francis Kennedy, and grandmother, Bernice Kennedy. 

At the time of his passing, he was assigned to the Coast Guard Cutter Legare based in Portsmouth, Va., as an Electronics Technician. He began his service in the Coast Guard in 2009, and previously served on the Vigorous and at TRACEN Yorktown.

Stephen was born in Williamsburg, Va., attended Botetourt, Peasley, and Gloucester High schools, then Blue Ridge and Rappahannock Community Colleges before entering the Coast Guard.

He participated in Scouting for many years in Pack 175 and in Troop 111. He and his father enjoyed many memorable trips during those years, including Canada and Maine.

Cars were a lifelong obsession for Stephen. He was named Outstanding Automotive Technology Student his senior year and his senior project involved rebuilding an Eagle Talon engine. He had been a member of SumoSpeed Car Club and these wonderful friends finished his project car when he was undergoing cancer treatment in 2010. In the past few months this happened again, and a special thanks to Danny Domenech (with help from Natches, James, Nick, Andrew, Mark, Reid and Josh) for enabling Steve to hear the roar of the Corvette engine in his latest project car, two days before he passed away. (A video of this event was posted on Facebook and has been viewed more than 30k times in six days.)

Stephen also enjoyed all things gun related—target shooting, air soft, skeet shooting. He qualified as a Sharpshooter in the Coast Guard.  

Throughout both cancer treatment episodes, his ability to endure without complaint was unbelievable. He had an immense capacity for suffering yet remained smiling and upbeat, always giving a thumbs up. He was truly an inspiration to all who cared for him.  

Special thanks to Dr. Tod Morris at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth, along with the Hematology/Oncology staff and the great nurses and corpsmen of 4J and Infusion Center and the many other Medical Center staff who cared so skillfully and lovingly for him and his entire family. His family would also like to thank Dr. Annick Desjardins and the wonderful, caring staff at The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke University Medical Center.

The family has been assisted with all possible needs by Coast Guard, Navy, and Navy Safe Harbor and Wounded Warrior Programs. Special thanks to Vice Admiral Lee who provided a tremendous morale boost with his visits. “The Coast Guard takes care of its own.”

The family would like to thank the staff at Medi Home Health and Hospice for all their help in our time of need. 

Stephen was a member of Newington Baptist Church and the prayers of his friends at Newington helped sustain him through this journey. Through it all, his faith never waivered.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Dec. 5, with a reception following the service at Newington Baptist Church.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Andrews Funeral Home and the family would like to thank Jerry Andrews for his help.  

Please direct any memorial donations to the Wounded Warrior Project.