Deborah Linn Kennedy, 91, passed away Wednesday,
October 2, 2019.
She was the only child of Phillip and Ruth Baird
Linn. Born in Cincinnati, at an early
age her family moved to Cleveland and she graduated from Shaker Heights High
School.
Debby was a creative and talented person. She took art lessons while attending Ohio State and then transferred and graduated from the Cleveland Institute of Art. Over the years she was recognized as both an outstanding portrait artist of children and an artist doing extensive work for restaurants and businesses. She was the Stouffer Corporate Artist as well as the Winn Schuler Chain in Michigan. She was asked to and did the uniform designs, accessories and graphics for the two restaurants in the new Bank of America Building in San Francisco, California.
In 1950 the local TV stations held a talent contest and she was chosen Miss Ohio TV. She was sent to Chicago to compete for Miss U.S.A TV against some of the leading singers of that time. Her prize was $2000.00 of assorted gifts, which included a sewing machine, a washing machine and others. Her parents did not have a TV at the time, and had to go to a friend’s house to watch her. The television set was still very new back then and not too many people had one.
In High School she was the singer for a band, The Sky Liners, and continued on as a vocalist in college. Following college, she became vocalist to several local bands, “Johnny Singer”, Russ Carlisle and traveled extensively around the country.
In 1951 she married the love of her life, Thomas, then a soldier, while on a 3 day leave from the Korean War. A marriage that lasted 68 years.
Deborah was active in the alumni association of her college Sorority, Pi Beta Phi, as well as the Rocky River Garden Club. She was a member of the Rocky River Presbyterian Church.
Debby and Thomas had two children, Michael of Rocky River and Linn, of Albuquerque, a granddaughter, Electra of Colorado Springs and Grandson, Rory of Rocky River.
Her services will be private. Anyone who chooses, may make a donation in her name to the Hospice of the Western Reserve, who was so kind and caring for her.