Bob Kennedy of Whitby, ON passed away on August 12, 2025, from natural causes. A long-time teaching golf professional and proud member of the PGA of Canada, Bob was affectionately known as “the golf guru of Ajax-Whitby”. Over more than 35 years, he shared his love of the game with thousands of students. His patience, humour and down-to-earth style left a lasting impression on everyone who learned from him. In earlier years, Bob also worked in real estate, but golf was his true calling.
Bob was especially grateful for more than 34 years of sobriety, supported by and contributing to the recovery community in Ajax-Whitby. Through this fellowship he built lifelong friendships, and he dedicated himself to helping others along their own journeys to sobriety.
In later years, Bob discovered a passion for writing. He published three books and several papers on the history and development of the recovery movement. His most recent work, Daily Reflections for Modern Twelve Step Recovery, was especially meaningful to him. In its introduction, Bob’s voice shines through: “…Writing this book has been a humbling experience. These pages offer excellent snippets of advice, most of which I have not followed with any degree of consistency during my decades of sobriety. Rather than being rocketed into a new way of living, I have traveled by bus on a very bumpy road. I accept my humanity but reach for improvement in my behavior. Perhaps this Daily Reader will be a reminder for the author as well as its readers.” Bob also became a regular speaker at meetings in person and virtually around the world, where he was deeply grateful for the friendships, encouragement, and sense of community he found.
Bob was pre-deceased by his parents Maurice (Moe) and Colombe (Connie) Kennedy, of Scarborough, ON, for whom he provided care and comfort in their later years.
He will be dearly missed by his brother Dave Kennedy of Toronto, his wife Marsha Kennedy, his sister Suzanne Hastings-James and nieces Cindy Hastings-James, Margaret Hastings-James and Lisa Kennedy, and nephews Richard Hastings-James and Christopher Kennedy.
A celebration of Bob’s life will be hosted at the Mount Lawn Funeral Home in Whitby, with details to be shared at a later date. Donations in lieu of flowers may be made to the charity of choice of the donor.
