Long time Cowboy and Rodeo fan Lawrence “Raymond” Kennedy passed away peacefully at 1:19 a.m. on November 25, 2022 at the Butte Center Nursing Home in Butte, Montana.
He was the second child born to Laurence & Helen (Foster) Kennedy in Dillon, Montana. He was raised in Lima, Montana and attended Lima High School. After graduating from Lima High school in 1955, he worked on various ranches around Lima. He enlisted in the United States Navy on April 11, 1956 and served as a steelworker with the US Naval Mobile Construction Battalion, Eleven. He spent most of his enlistment in Guam. He was discharged on March 16, 1960. After his discharge he spent most of his life working on various ranches near Lima, Dell, and Kid, Montana. Also in the Horsepraire area.
He married Bernice Johnson in October 1978 in Dillon, Montana. In 1981 they moved to southern Idaho, so Raymond could work for J.R. Simplot as a cowboy on his various ranches. After Bernice passed away in 1995, he worked for 5 more years for Simplot. Then he returned to Lima to live until he went to the Resonance Assisted Living Facility in Dillon, Montana in 2014. He moved to Butte, Montana to live with his nephew Chris Bettle in June 2017. He lived with Chris until January 2019, when he moved to Meadowlark Manor Assisted Living Facility in Whitehall, Montana. He was moved to Butte Center Nursing Home in November 2021 after having COVID-19. He loved being a cowboy riding horses and working cattle. He also loved participating in rodeos in his earlier years and watching them after he couldn’t participate in them.
He was preceded in death by his parents Laurence & Mabel “Helen” (Foster) Kennedy; his wife Bernice (Johnson) Kennedy; his sister and brother-in-law Joseph William & Helen Dale Bettle; nephews Raymond Arlen “Mike” Bettle & Scott Lee Bettle. He is survived by his nephew Christie Lyn Bettle of Butte, Montana; his niece and her husband Tami Sue & Larry Isaak of Butte, Montana; niece Cherie Dawn Bettle of Billings, Montana; numerous great nephews, nieces, great-great nephews and nieces, and numerous cousins and friends.
Raymond’s wishes were for no services. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Montana Cowboy Hall of Fame & Western Heritage Center, Inc.
Axelson Funeral & Cremation Services is privileged to take care of Lawrence and his Family.
Please visit below to share a memory of Lawrence or offer a condolence.
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Sandra Camden says
Raymond was an awesome man. Our family enjoyed him so much. He was a good friend of my Dad’s (who has passed). I used to bake cookies and cinnamon rolls for him and took them to him when I went to Lima which was often. He was there for me when my Dad passed. I lost track of Raymond.
Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
So loved his stories .
God BLESS!