John "Jack" Bodge Kenerson II

John “Jack” Bodge Kenerson II, 62, of Watertown, Connecticut and Dublin, New Hampshire, passed away peacefully at Connecticut Hospice in Branford on July 29, 2026, after a brief but aggressive battle with metastatic bladder cancer. A deeply devoted husband, father, son, teacher, mentor, and coach, Jack lived a life defined by service, humility, quiet courage, and an unwavering commitment to others.

Jack was born in Wellesley, Massachusetts, on April 5, 1964, to Linda (Collier) Kenerson and the late Edward Hibbard Kenerson. He attended The Fessenden School and graduated from The Taft School in 1982. As a Taft student, he distinguished himself in academics and athletics, receiving the Reardon Prize for excellence in history, the Cross Football Award, and serving as captain of the varsity golf team. He went on to earn his A.B. in history from Colgate University in 1986, where he played golf for four years, captained the team during his senior year, and was a member of the DKE fraternity. He later earned a Master of Arts in Liberal Studies from Dartmouth College in 1997.

After graduating from Colgate, Jack returned to Taft. What began as a fellowship became an extraordinary 40-year career devoted to the school and its students. Over the decades, he served as a history teacher, advisor, admission officer, corridor head, senior class dean, chair of the History Department, and coach. He held the Robert Congdon Memorial Chair of History and was a gifted teacher of AP European History, bringing the past to life through his deep knowledge, thoughtful perspective, and genuine enthusiasm for the subject.

At the center of Jack’s life was his family. He and his wife of 30 years, Jennifer “Jen” (Bogue) Kenerson, shared a loving marriage, a devoted family, and a life deeply connected to Taft, where Jen teaches mathematics and serves as Senior Advisor to the Head of School. Jack was immensely proud of their three loving sons, Peter, Nicholas, and Alexander. Being their father was among the greatest joys of his life. Nothing brought him more happiness than a round of golf with his wife and three boys, coaching his sons’ Watertown youth hockey teams, passionately supporting their athletic careers at Taft, Bowdoin College, and Boston College, and faithfully cheering on the Boston sports teams, celebrating their victories and enduring their disappointments with equal passion. Sports brought him great joy, particularly when shared with his family, friends, colleagues, players, and former students.

Golf remained one of Jack’s greatest lifelong passions. He played more than 1,000 rounds at the Dublin Lake Club in Dublin, NH, a place that brought him tremendous happiness over the years and where he taught his wife and boys how to play golf. He also won numerous club championships and father-son golf tournaments at Brae Burn Country Club in Newton, MA. Some of his most treasured memories were made on the course, where his love of competition was matched by his appreciation for tradition, friendship, family, and the simple joy of a well-played round.

Throughout his adult life, Jack faced significant health challenges with extraordinary courage and modesty. In 1988, at the age of 24, he received a kidney from his 74-year-old grandfather, Abram Collier. That remarkable gift sustained him for 30 years. When his health began to fail again, Jack received a second kidney transplant in 2018 from his wife, Jennifer, who was, miraculously, a match.

Through periods of illness and pain, Jack rarely called attention to himself. Few people knew the extent of what he endured. He continued to teach, coach, support others, and participate fully in the life of his family and community. His resilience was never loud or showy; it was reflected in the way he kept moving forward, met each day with dignity, and remained focused on the people around him.

Jack is also survived by his mother, Linda (Collier) Kenerson of Wellesley, Massachusetts; his brothers, Whit Kenerson and his wife, Marcy, of Newport Beach, California, and Bruce Kenerson and his wife, Barbara, of Garden Grove, California; mother and father in law, Robert and Lauren Bogue of Baltimore, MD; his sister-in-law, Kimberley Barbaro and her husband, Frank, of Evanston, Illinois; his brother-in-law, Peter Bogue and his wife, Jennifer, of Fairfield, Connecticut. He also leaves three nieces, Paige, Brooke, and Reece Kenerson; six nephews, Benjamin, Henry, and Spencer Barbaro and Tyler, Teddy, and Jamie Bogue; and Katharine Barrett, a loving partner to his son, Peter.

His absence will be deeply felt at Taft, Dublin, and far beyond, but his influence will endure in his family and in the countless lives he shaped through his compassion, integrity, humor, and steadfast devotion.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to The Kenerson Family Fund at The Taft School, which provides financial aid and support for deserving students. Online gifts may be made here. Please select "The Kenerson Family Fund" as your gift designation and, after entering your payment information, note that your gift is in memory of Jack Kenerson.

Memorial gifts may also be made by check, payable to The Taft School, and mailed to:

The Taft School, Attn: Anna Kasperuk, 110 Woodbury Road, Watertown, CT 06795. Please note in the memo line that your gift is in memory of Jack Kenerson.

A memorial service in celebration of Jack’s life will be held on Saturday, August 22, 2026, at The Taft School’s Woodward Chapel, 25 The Green, Watertown, CT, at 1 PM, with a reception to follow in Laube Dining Hall, 110 Woodbury Rd, Watertown, CT.