AUBURN — Joshua Allen Kennedy, 34, beloved father, husband, son, brother and hero, passed peacefully Friday, April 27, surrounded by his family and friends following a 2 year battle with Amyotrophic Lateral Schlerosis (ALS).

A steady influence in his community, Joshua most recently served as a correctional officer at Androscoggin County Jail in Auburn while concurrently serving as a sergeant in the U.S. Army Reserves. Mobilized in Feb 2003, Joshua served 18 months in Iraq as a petroleum supply specialist.

Prior to his diagnosis in March 2010, Joshua’s passions were spending time at camp, cooking, computer technology, and hiking with his black lab Lily. He found great pleasure and peace maintaining his salt water aquarium and spending time with his friends at a local coffee shop.

He was a devoted father and husband. Joshua was a strong man with a soft heart and will forever be remembered for his contagious laugh and beautiful smile.

Following his diagnosis, Joshua became active in ALS advocacy, traveling twice with wife Ernesta to Washington, D.C., in support of ALS awareness. As his symptoms progressed, Josh fully embraced and received the love and care of his community of neighbors, friends, and family members.

Through the help of eHope, a local nonprofit, Joshua’s community pulled together, surrounding the family with an organized network of childcare, meals, love and compassionate care that will continue to support his surviving family in the months and years to come.

Joshua is survived by his wife, Ernesta Kennedy; sons, Tyler, Charles, and Andrew; father, Gregory Kennedy; stepmother, Marjorie Kennedy; mother, Gale Sampson; stepfather, Kevin Sampson; and sisters, Allison, Kayla, and Emily.