City Dedicates Raddant Road To Longtime Batavia Employee

BATAVIA, IL — South Raddant Road in Batavia, now John D. Kennedy Memorial Way, has been dedicated to a longtime city employee who died July 14.

City Council members issued a proclaimation and unveiled the sign at Monday's regular meeting. With Kennedy's family in attendance, Mayor Jeff Schielke recognized the Batavia resident's contributions to the city and designated the sign that was made in-house by public works staff.

Kennedy first began working for the city as a public works maintenance worker in 1996. He held several positions in the streets and engineering department before being promoted to senior engineering assistant in 2006.

Each business day, he went to work at the Public Works building on North Raddant Road. Work isn't Kennedy's only connection to the thoroughfare. His family also lived on South Raddant Road for decades.

Now, a memorial sign — which is the first of its kind in Batavia, according to Director of Public Works Gary Holm — will honor his life.

"Naming part of Raddant after John is a fitting tribute to a man who meant so much to so many Batavians," Batavia City Administrator Laura Newman said in a statement. "The hundreds of people who pass this way every day will see John’s name and be reminded of his contributions and his love for Batavia."

Officials said Kennedy's death resulted from an accident unrelated to his work.