Clara Banta Kennedy, a beloved matriarch and dedicated community member, died peacefully in her home at the age of 101.

Born on March 10, 1923, in Buffalo, N.Y., she was the daughter of Charles Woodbury Banta and Clara Urban Banta. Her father, a surgeon, contracted a staph infection and died shortly before her birth. Clara spent her childhood on a farm on Pine Ridge Road in Cheektowaga, which belonged to her grandfather, George Urban, Jr., a prominent Buffalo businessman.

She attended the Masters School in Dobbs Ferry, N.Y., and graduated in the accelerated wartime program from Smith College in August 1944. Shortly after, she worked for the U.S. Naval Intelligence in the New York City office before marrying Kevin Kennedy, also from Buffalo, in March 1945. During Kevin’s service as a naval officer in the Pacific, Clara worked as a social worker at the American Red Cross in Buffalo.

In the fall of 1946, the couple moved to Princeton, N.J., where they lived on a farm and raised their four sons: Kevin, Charles, Alexander and Shaun. Her entrepreneurial spirit flourished when she started an antique business with a friend, eventually becoming a partner in several stores near Princeton and two on Martha’s Vineyard.

In 1969, the couple built their home on Husselton Head in Vineyard Haven, where they joyfully hosted family and friends until Kevin’s death in 1992.

She remained an active and cherished member of the community, engaging with the West Chop Club, Vineyard Haven Yacht Club, Martha’s Vineyard Garden Club, Want to Know Club of Vineyard Haven, Friends of the Vineyard Haven Public Library and the Unitarian Universalist Society of Martha’s Vineyard. She was an avid reader throughout her life and maintained a keen interest in local, U.S., and world affairs.

Her life was marked by a deep commitment to education and service. She worked with children through summer Bible camps, served as a teacher’s aide in Trenton, N.J., and taught English as a second language. Her 23 years of volunteering at the Island Food Pantry exemplified her compassion and dedication to helping others. She always championed the underdog and will be remembered for her warmth, wisdom, spirited personality,and deep love of her family and friends.

Clara is survived by her four sons and their wives, eight grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, four nephews and one niece.

A memorial service will be held in June 2025 in Vineyard Haven, where family and friends will gather to celebrate her remarkable life.