Robert Rob Burke Kennedy

Kennedy was a central figure in the metaphorical play that was the life of every person he touched. Often the leading man, frequently the comedic relief, and always the hero, he lived his life in a way that leaves an indelible imprint on the hearts, minds and souls of those he left behind to mourn him. Whether the stage was Atlanta, Detroit, Columbia, New York, San Francisco or Miami, there was never a doubt as to who would steal the show...who would command the spotlight...who would have them both laughing and crying...and who would leave the audience begging for more. He was always the star...and we the supporting cast to the most magnificent story ever told.

As were the heroes he idolized, Kennedy was a man that defied description, definition or delineation. There simply never was another like him...nor will there ever be. He celebrated the lives of some of history's most brilliant artists, writers and thinkers...perhaps, out of humility, never fully recognizing that he was a kindred spirit to all of them. Too brilliant for this world...too distinct for words. He was, at once, both inspired and inspiring.

To provide a detailed accounting of his life would be to offer the Cliffs Notes to "For Whom the Bell Tolls." It is something not given to bullet points or highlights. Rather, it is something that one must experience for oneself. And for those of us who were lucky enough to do so, the Robert Kennedy story was worth every page turned, and every artfully crafted syllable dwelled upon for effect. For it was Hemingway himself who wrote, "Every man's life ends the same way. It is only the details of how he lived...that distinguish one man from another."

And so it was with Rob. And so it shall be.

Rob joins in a better place Edu, his canine soulmate whom he often described as "the love of his life,” his beloved grandma and the Colonel. He leaves behind his family including his mom Cheryl, his father Bob, his sister Kim, her husband Tim and their beautiful daughters Morgan and Riley. His family and friends pick up the mantle of continuing Rob's enduring legacy in life, love and celebration of the arts. In his memory, we endure to appreciate the beauty in life around us, we rise to his challenge to live a life worthy of the stage, and we continue his journey in the intellectual pursuits through which Rob lead by example throughout his 45 years.

A Celebration of Rob's life will be held at H.M. Patterson & Son's Spring Hill Chapel on Wednesday, June 22, 2016 at 2:00 pm. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the soon-to-be-created Rob Kennedy Scholarship Award for an outstanding Bachelor of Fine Arts ceramic student at the University of South Carolina, Rob's alma mater, where he earned his Master of Fine Arts Degree in writing and ceramics.