Obituary

Ursula Ellen Kennedy (née Roney)

Ursula Ellen Kennedy (née Roney), age 87, of Newport Beach, California, passed away peacefully on September 4, 2024, surrounded by her beloved children. She is survived by her sister Helen Patricia, brother John, her three children Ursula Ann, Kathleen, and Wiley III, grandchildren Samantha, Kelly, and William, honorary grandson Paul, a great-granddaughter named after her, and cherished nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Born in Providence, Rhode Island, Ursula moved to San Diego with her family at the age of three.  As a young girl she and two of her sisters attended the Convent of the Sacred Heart School in Menlo (now Atherton), California.  She cherished her time at CSH and attributed her lifelong love of learning to this early formative education. Also during these grade school days, Ursula’s leadership skills began to show signs of her future potential.  She founded the “Hershey Bar Club”.  This was during World War II and a rationed chocolate Hershey Bar was required for membership. The club was a great success.

After graduating from Chula Vista High School in 1954 and spending a year at San Diego State University where she majored in having a great time, Ursula’s life took a turn. She met Wiley, who became her husband of 67 years, on a magical blind date.  This began one of the greatest love stories of all time. After their marriage, Ursula put her studies on hold and moved to Berkeley, California, where Wiley pursued his MBA at UC Berkeley and Ursula worked in the Chancellor’s office at the university. While working for the Chancellor, she interacted with many notable figures of the day, including leaders of the Free Speech movement.

Ursula was a devoted and loving mother to her three fantastic children but was unfulfilled by keeping house.  She embraced new challenges by enrolling in writing classes, learning to drive, and ultimately becoming a prolific writer. Her loving husband Wiley was supportive but puzzled at first because he noticed other wives in the neighborhood seemed content with maintaining spotless kitchens.  In the 1970s, she published over 500 articles, a book of essays, and she ventured into politics. Ursula made history as the first woman elected to the Tustin City Council in 1978 and served two terms as the first woman Mayor of Tustin,  with her contributions remembered fondly by the community. In her own words:

“I began writing for local newspapers, played with our children, and avoided housework.  In 1970 I moved to Tustin, California.  I continued writing, watching our children closely, and finished my degree at Cal State Fullerton. I became the first woman elected the Tustin City Council in 1978.  Then the whole town began watching our children.  In spite of their “high spirits” I was reelected to the city council again in 1982 and 1986 and served two terms as Mayor. Those were exciting times”

Ursula continued her pursuit of education by attending law school at Western State University, graduating in 1986. As a lawyer for the State Compensation Insurance Fund, she worked diligently and saved the state of California boatloads of money.

Ursula’s vibrant personality, hilarious sense of humor,  positive attitude, intelligence, integrity, and boundless energy were sources of great joy for her family and friends. Her children could always find her in a crowded room by finding the group of people who were laughing the most and having the best time. She was a source of love, wisdom, and mischievous fun for her grandchildren, teaching them essential life skills, such as how never to be bored and how to avoid housework, all the while  fostering a spirit of creativity, acceptance, kindness, and warmth.

Her family takes comfort in knowing she is reunited with her beloved husband Wiley, grandson Scott, two of her sisters, and much-loved others who passed before her. Ursula’s  legacy of love, intelligence, kindness, strength, loyalty, and fun will continue to inspire and be remembered by all who knew her.  However, words cannot express the depth of loss felt by those who love and miss her.