Bill was born September 6, 1931 to Allan & Della (Nelson) Kennedy, at home on the Wolf Ranch in Wheeler County. He attended elementary and secondary school in Wheeler County. He graduated from Wheeler County High School in 1948. He attended Hastings College and the University of Nebraska at Lincoln before enlisting in the Army Infantry, in July of 1952. He entered into the service at Fort Riley, Kansas and served as a radio operations specialist. His main tour of duty was served in Germany. Upon his military discharge, in July of 1954, he returned to Wheeler County to take up ranching.

He married Beverly Rosso on July 1, 1957 in Ord, Nebraska. Bill and Bev enjoyed 51 years of marriage and were blessed with six children and 14 grandchildren. In 1993, Bill retired from ranching and dairy farming to pursue his love of racing thoroughbred horses. He and Bev spent the next 16 years raising and training thoroughbred horses to race on the Nebraska racing circuit.

Bill served as commander of the Wheeler County American Legion Post #107. He was a member of the Wheeler Central School Board, Wheeler County Weed Board, Wheeler County Selective Service Board, and the Horseman’s Benevolent and Protective Association. Bill played baseball for his Army platoon for one summer while stationed in Germany and for many years on local area town teams. Bill was one of the initial organizers of the Wheeler County mens’ fastpitch softball league that became very popular in the 1980’s, including converting part of one of his hay meadows into Kennedy Stadium. He also coached American Legion baseball, girls’ youth softball and girls’ high school basketball.

Survivors of the immediate family include his wife, Beverly, and five daughters, Marcia Smith and husband, David, of Bartlett, Susan Kennedy of Omaha, Kelly Scott and husband, Marlin, of Belgrade, Jill Tolstedt and husband, Mark, of Alliance, and Nancy Hebert and husband, Patrick, of Tampa, Florida, and one son, Mike Kennedy and wife, Bobbi, of Albion. He is also survived by his sister, Polly Ann Dierkes, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. Also surviving are 14 grandchildren, William Smith and wife Amy, Andrew Smith and wife Justine, Phillip Smith, Tyler Ware, Katie Ware, Abby Scott, Sam Scott, Claire Tolstedt, Elaine Tolstedt, Grace Tolstedt, Jaime Kennedy, Travis Kennedy, Nicole Hebert and Lyndsay Hebert.

He is preceded in death by his parents Allan and Della Kennedy, one sister, Kathryn Clair, and two brothers-in-law, Gerald Clair and John Dierkes.