Thomas Kennedy

Thomas P. Kennedy passed peacefully after 90 years on April 20, 2020.   He was preceded in death by his parents John J. Kennedy and Mary Corr Kennedy, and siblings Miriam (Sister Ann Miriam – Sisters of Mercy), Joseph, Julia Hagenbach (Thomas), John, Virginia and Edward (Marianne Burns).  He is survived by his sister Eileen McCarry (Charles) and brother-in-law Thomas Hagenbach.

He is also survived by his children Miriam Scholl (Thomas), Colleen Baker (Eugene), Thomas (Jill), Teresa, Barbara, Carl (Kim) and Christine Kennedy (Eric Drain).   His loving grandchildren Sarah Jensen (Daniel), Thomas Scholl (Chelsea), Kristen Morelock (Jimmie), Paige & Grace Kennedy, Sam & Alex Drain, Rebecca & Madison Kennedy.    Also many loving nieces and nephews.

Tom worked initially for his father in the family masonry business.   After college and then for over forty years he worked for Newell/Rubbermaid as a Sales Manager and then a District Sales Manager.    He was a proud and active member of the St. Thomas More Alumni Association and also a proud member of the class of ’47.   He loved his Catholic faith and of course his family and friends.

Tom spent his childhood summers on 33rd Street in Sea Isle and took his own family to “Grandmom’s” at the shore where the lore was that kids had to go to bed so his father could row out to “drain Pop-Pop’s pool”.   His Dad would then fill it the next morning so the next generation could enjoy the same beaches he and his siblings enjoyed during summers long ago.   As a side note, the north end of Sea Isle is in fact cooler than points south around 72nd Street.   It’s just a fact.    He could often be seen on summer weekends, MAB green paint in hand, for what seemed to be the annual painting of the shore house on that rickety wooden ladder as his kids played in the sand.     You could go for a walk on the beach or promenade with him and be gone for hours but walk only a few blocks as he seemed to run into a cousin, someone from the old Lourdes parish, a neighbor, a friend or a work colleague every few steps.   He was a master of the drip castle.   He taught us the incomparable art, known to only a few, that anything can be fixed with duct tape.

As a child his nickname was “the Crisco kid”.    When asked why the reply was “because I was fat in the can”.   This is also known to many in the family as “the Kennedy curse”.   A child of the depression era he was what is known today as a hoarder.    Who washes and saves bread bags?   Who groups the bread ties into neat bundles for future use?  Who needs hundreds of plastic butter tubs or dozens of glasses that jelly or sour cream used to come in back in the 60’s or 70’s?   He would shrug off that he was being thrifty or frugal.

He was very proud of his Irish heritage and was bestowed with the Irish gift of gab.   This for certain came in handy as a Salesman but also gained him the nickname of “Uncle Windy” with his nieces and nephews as he sure did like to talk and be heard.    He could and would argue any point with you at length until you were literally exhausted.     Some would call this stubborn or uncompromising.   Others call it focused and passionate.

It’s not an Irish blessing or from an Irish poet, but TS Eliot wrote:

What we call the beginning is often the end.

To make an ending is to make a beginning.

The end is where we start from.

As Tom ends his days on earth it’s only the beginning of eternity in heaven.   May he rest in the peace of God’s warm embrace.

In lieu of flowers the family asks for your prayerful support.   Donations in Tom’s name should be sent to:  St Thomas More Alumni Association, PO Box 294, Drexel Hill, PA  19026.    Arrangements private.