Julian Stephen Kennedy(Huggins) aka "Big Steve", "PopPop", or "Popsrile" passed away peacefully at home with his wife by his side on December 27th, 2021 in Clarkston, Michigan.  Loving husband to his wife Barbara; brother to his sisters Rachel and Rebekah; father to Thomas, Megan, Scott, Christopher, John, Charles, Jay, and Robert; adored grandfather of 22 grandchildren and great grandfather of 17 great grandchildren.  Born in Charlotte, North Carolina on December 15th 1926 to father Oscar Huggins and mother Lillian Rountree, Julian Stephen Kennedy endured a rough childhood living in and out of foster care through the Great Depression.  He was a proud World War 2 veteran who enlisted in the United States Marine Corps the day after his 17th birthday.  He served as a medical corpsman who fought in the battles of Saipan, Tinian, and Guam and was among the first US troops to occupy the city of Nagasaki after the atomic bomb was dropped.  After the war he returned home to Charlotte to finish high school and then attended Monmouth College in Illinois. It was there he met his first wife Patricia McConnell and married in September of 1949.  Son Thomas and daughter Megan soon followed.  Stephen married again in 1959 to Barbara Ann Grant and raised six more sons and several foster children.  He worked in retail and ended his career as President of Crowley's department store in Detroit when he retired in 1986.  Stephen spent his retirement years being a photographer for Oakland County Parks, spending time with friends, traveling with his wife, and enjoying his children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.  In his final years he also enjoyed lunches with friends at Leo's Coney Island in Clarkston, smoking his cigars on the deck, and corresponding with his new found sisters and cousin.

Stephen was always a great lover of dogs, especially strays or rescues.  When asked where this love came from, he talked of his first dog Jerry he got as a boy in Coney Island, New York.  Stephen said that this dog was the thing that first taught him how to love and be loved.  He also said he could relate to strays as he often felt like one in his childhood because he never had a real home.  In lieu of flowers we know he'd be pleased if donations were made to Detroit Dog Rescue  https://detroitdogrescue.com/donate/ in his name.

There are no ceremonies planned for right now. His wife Barbara wishes to have a Celebration of Life in the late spring or early summer when the weather is better and people can travel without worry of COVID issues. At that time his ashes will be interred at the Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly, Michigan and afterwards a party will be held to share memories and raise a toast to his life. More details will be available concerning time and date in a couple of months so please contact his wife or one of his sons then for more information.

Detroit Dog Rescue
PO Box 806119, St. Clair Shores MI 48080
Web: https://detroitdogrescue.com/donate/