Obituary:
SUNRISE MUSEUM FOUNDER KENNA DIES
Published: The Charleston Gazette, Saturday, January 25, 1997
Lee Mountcastle Kenna, 77, died at his Naples, Fla., residence.
Kenna, an attorney, served a term as Kanawha County assessor, was a former Charleston City Council member and ran unsuccessful campaigns for governor and attorney general.
In the early 1960s, Kenna, who began practicing law in Charleston in 1943, headed a group searching for a permanent home for a children's museum. The organization obtained the Sunrise property, then formed the Sunrise Foundation by incorporating the Children's Museum, Charleston Art Gallery, Kanawha Garden Center and the local chapter of the Brooks Bird Club.
His 1964-led effort raised the $41,000 needed to secure the mansion of former Gov. William MacCorkle. The mansion has served as a home to the museum since then.
After stepping down as Sunrise president, he headed the Kanawha Cultural Council, an organization of dozens of cultural groups. Kenna always credited the painting of his wife, Elizabeth Phillips Kenna, with stirring his interest in art.
Born in Knoxville, Tenn., he was the son of the late state Supreme Court Justice Joseph Kenna and Louise Mountcastle Kenna. His grandfather was former U.S. Sen. John E. Kenna.
Admitted to the state bar following law school graduation from Washington and Lee University, Kenna served as an investigator for the Japanese war trial crimes in Tokyo while in the Army.
Kenna became the first general counsel to the West Virginia Turnpike Commission, a position he held from its inception in the late 1940s until 1970.
Practicing law in Charleston, Kenna ran for state attorney general in 1960, losing the Democratic nomination to C. Donald Robertson. He won the 1968 Kanawha County assessor's race and began a campaign of tax reform.
In 1971 he raised the value of the county's coal properties from less than $3 million to almost $17 million. Five firms sued and a circuit judge ruled Kenna could not validate his evaluations and lowered the values to about $4.5 million. That spurred on his 1972 quest for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. Kenna was soundly defeated by then-Secretary of State Jay Rockefeller.
Active in a number of other community affairs, Kenna also served a term as president of the Charleston Goodwill Industries.
Survivors, in addition to his wife, include sons, Lee M. Jr. of Atherton, Calif., and Joseph Edward of Atlanta; daughters, Caroline K. Tierney of Denver and Catherine Combs of Philadelphia; and 10 grandchildren. Funeral arrangements are incomplete.
Published: The Charleston Gazette, Thursday, January 30, 1997
KENNA, Lee M. - Service will be 11 a.m. Saturday at First Presbyterian Church, Charleston, with the Rev. Douglas Heidt and Dean K. Thompson officiating. Private family burial will be in Sunset Memorial Park.
SUNRISE MUSEUM FOUNDER KENNA DIES
Published: The Charleston Gazette, Saturday, January 25, 1997
Lee Mountcastle Kenna, 77, died at his Naples, Fla., residence.
Kenna, an attorney, served a term as Kanawha County assessor, was a former Charleston City Council member and ran unsuccessful campaigns for governor and attorney general.
In the early 1960s, Kenna, who began practicing law in Charleston in 1943, headed a group searching for a permanent home for a children's museum. The organization obtained the Sunrise property, then formed the Sunrise Foundation by incorporating the Children's Museum, Charleston Art Gallery, Kanawha Garden Center and the local chapter of the Brooks Bird Club.
His 1964-led effort raised the $41,000 needed to secure the mansion of former Gov. William MacCorkle. The mansion has served as a home to the museum since then.
After stepping down as Sunrise president, he headed the Kanawha Cultural Council, an organization of dozens of cultural groups. Kenna always credited the painting of his wife, Elizabeth Phillips Kenna, with stirring his interest in art.
Born in Knoxville, Tenn., he was the son of the late state Supreme Court Justice Joseph Kenna and Louise Mountcastle Kenna. His grandfather was former U.S. Sen. John E. Kenna.
Admitted to the state bar following law school graduation from Washington and Lee University, Kenna served as an investigator for the Japanese war trial crimes in Tokyo while in the Army.
Kenna became the first general counsel to the West Virginia Turnpike Commission, a position he held from its inception in the late 1940s until 1970.
Practicing law in Charleston, Kenna ran for state attorney general in 1960, losing the Democratic nomination to C. Donald Robertson. He won the 1968 Kanawha County assessor's race and began a campaign of tax reform.
In 1971 he raised the value of the county's coal properties from less than $3 million to almost $17 million. Five firms sued and a circuit judge ruled Kenna could not validate his evaluations and lowered the values to about $4.5 million. That spurred on his 1972 quest for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. Kenna was soundly defeated by then-Secretary of State Jay Rockefeller.
Active in a number of other community affairs, Kenna also served a term as president of the Charleston Goodwill Industries.
Survivors, in addition to his wife, include sons, Lee M. Jr. of Atherton, Calif., and Joseph Edward of Atlanta; daughters, Caroline K. Tierney of Denver and Catherine Combs of Philadelphia; and 10 grandchildren. Funeral arrangements are incomplete.
Published: The Charleston Gazette, Thursday, January 30, 1997
KENNA, Lee M. - Service will be 11 a.m. Saturday at First Presbyterian Church, Charleston, with the Rev. Douglas Heidt and Dean K. Thompson officiating. Private family burial will be in Sunset Memorial Park.
Obituary:
SUNRISE MUSEUM FOUNDER KENNA DIES
Published: The Charleston Gazette, Saturday, January 25, 1997
Lee Mountcastle Kenna, 77, died at his Naples, Fla., residence.
Kenna, an attorney, served a term as Kanawha County assessor, was a former Charleston City Council member and ran unsuccessful campaigns for governor and attorney general.
In the early 1960s, Kenna, who began practicing law in Charleston in 1943, headed a group searching for a permanent home for a children's museum. The organization obtained the Sunrise property, then formed the Sunrise Foundation by incorporating the Children's Museum, Charleston Art Gallery, Kanawha Garden Center and the local chapter of the Brooks Bird Club.
His 1964-led effort raised the $41,000 needed to secure the mansion of former Gov. William MacCorkle. The mansion has served as a home to the museum since then.
After stepping down as Sunrise president, he headed the Kanawha Cultural Council, an organization of dozens of cultural groups. Kenna always credited the painting of his wife, Elizabeth Phillips Kenna, with stirring his interest in art.
Born in Knoxville, Tenn., he was the son of the late state Supreme Court Justice Joseph Kenna and Louise Mountcastle Kenna. His grandfather was former U.S. Sen. John E. Kenna.
Admitted to the state bar following law school graduation from Washington and Lee University, Kenna served as an investigator for the Japanese war trial crimes in Tokyo while in the Army.
Kenna became the first general counsel to the West Virginia Turnpike Commission, a position he held from its inception in the late 1940s until 1970.
Practicing law in Charleston, Kenna ran for state attorney general in 1960, losing the Democratic nomination to C. Donald Robertson. He won the 1968 Kanawha County assessor's race and began a campaign of tax reform.
In 1971 he raised the value of the county's coal properties from less than $3 million to almost $17 million. Five firms sued and a circuit judge ruled Kenna could not validate his evaluations and lowered the values to about $4.5 million. That spurred on his 1972 quest for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. Kenna was soundly defeated by then-Secretary of State Jay Rockefeller.
Active in a number of other community affairs, Kenna also served a term as president of the Charleston Goodwill Industries.
Survivors, in addition to his wife, include sons, Lee M. Jr. of Atherton, Calif., and Joseph Edward of Atlanta; daughters, Caroline K. Tierney of Denver and Catherine Combs of Philadelphia; and 10 grandchildren. Funeral arrangements are incomplete.
Published: The Charleston Gazette, Thursday, January 30, 1997
KENNA, Lee M. - Service will be 11 a.m. Saturday at First Presbyterian Church, Charleston, with the Rev. Douglas Heidt and Dean K. Thompson officiating. Private family burial will be in Sunset Memorial Park.
SUNRISE MUSEUM FOUNDER KENNA DIES
Published: The Charleston Gazette, Saturday, January 25, 1997
Lee Mountcastle Kenna, 77, died at his Naples, Fla., residence.
Kenna, an attorney, served a term as Kanawha County assessor, was a former Charleston City Council member and ran unsuccessful campaigns for governor and attorney general.
In the early 1960s, Kenna, who began practicing law in Charleston in 1943, headed a group searching for a permanent home for a children's museum. The organization obtained the Sunrise property, then formed the Sunrise Foundation by incorporating the Children's Museum, Charleston Art Gallery, Kanawha Garden Center and the local chapter of the Brooks Bird Club.
His 1964-led effort raised the $41,000 needed to secure the mansion of former Gov. William MacCorkle. The mansion has served as a home to the museum since then.
After stepping down as Sunrise president, he headed the Kanawha Cultural Council, an organization of dozens of cultural groups. Kenna always credited the painting of his wife, Elizabeth Phillips Kenna, with stirring his interest in art.
Born in Knoxville, Tenn., he was the son of the late state Supreme Court Justice Joseph Kenna and Louise Mountcastle Kenna. His grandfather was former U.S. Sen. John E. Kenna.
Admitted to the state bar following law school graduation from Washington and Lee University, Kenna served as an investigator for the Japanese war trial crimes in Tokyo while in the Army.
Kenna became the first general counsel to the West Virginia Turnpike Commission, a position he held from its inception in the late 1940s until 1970.
Practicing law in Charleston, Kenna ran for state attorney general in 1960, losing the Democratic nomination to C. Donald Robertson. He won the 1968 Kanawha County assessor's race and began a campaign of tax reform.
In 1971 he raised the value of the county's coal properties from less than $3 million to almost $17 million. Five firms sued and a circuit judge ruled Kenna could not validate his evaluations and lowered the values to about $4.5 million. That spurred on his 1972 quest for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. Kenna was soundly defeated by then-Secretary of State Jay Rockefeller.
Active in a number of other community affairs, Kenna also served a term as president of the Charleston Goodwill Industries.
Survivors, in addition to his wife, include sons, Lee M. Jr. of Atherton, Calif., and Joseph Edward of Atlanta; daughters, Caroline K. Tierney of Denver and Catherine Combs of Philadelphia; and 10 grandchildren. Funeral arrangements are incomplete.
Published: The Charleston Gazette, Thursday, January 30, 1997
KENNA, Lee M. - Service will be 11 a.m. Saturday at First Presbyterian Church, Charleston, with the Rev. Douglas Heidt and Dean K. Thompson officiating. Private family burial will be in Sunset Memorial Park.
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