Patrick Christopher Kennedy, Sr.

Patrick Christopher Kennedy, Sr. died peacefully surrounded by his family on Friday July 2, 2021 at his home in Bethany, CT. Born on December 11th, 1939 in Clogheen, Co. Tipperary, Ireland, Pat was the son of the late Jeremiah Kennedy and Josephine (Cullinan) Kennedy. He is survived by his wife nearly 57 years Joan Kennedy, his sons Diarmuid Kennedy of West Haven, Patrick Kennedy Jr. of Prospect, and Robert Kennedy of Bethany, daughters-in-law Christine (Patrick Jr.) Kennedy and Andrea (Robert) Kennedy, and his five beloved grandchildren, Ryan Patrick, Aiden Patrick, Molly, Grace, and Sarah. He also leaves behind his sisters and brothers: Catherine Duggan of Stamford, CT; Mary Finn of Ballyporeen, Ireland; Annette Burke of West Meath, Ireland; William Kennedy of Cahir, Ireland; Martin Kennedy of Clogheen, Ireland; Noel Kennedy of Ardfinnan, Ireland; and Andrew Kennedy of Ardfinnan, Ireland. He was predeceased by his sister Bernadette Dargan and brothers Jeremiah Jr, Vincent, and Christopher. He also leaves behind numerous brothers- and sisters-in-law and nieces and nephews in Connecticut, Ireland, the UK, and Australia who remember him as a gentleman with a calm nature and a kind heart. Patrick, also known as Paddy or Pat, left Ireland where he had his own refinishing business, and immigrated with his wife and son to the USA in 1968. He worked as a furniture refinisher at Wayside Furniture in Milford, CT for 33 years before retiring as the head of his department. He lived in West Haven for a number of years before moving his family to Bethany where he was a resident for 42 years. Throughout his life he was very involved in the New Haven Irish Community. He was an active member of the Pioneer Total Abstinence Association of the Sacred Heart, the New Haven Gaelic Football and Hurling Club, the Irish American Community Center, Comhaltas Ceoltir ireann and was a marshal of the New Haven St. Patrick's Day Parade. From those Irish organizations, Pat made many lifelong friends who were like family to him. He was an avid runner who took up marathoning in his 40s. He completed several marathons and was nationally ranked for his age group and was a member of the Silver City Striders and Naugatuck Running clubs. In 1990 he took over the Echoes of Erin radio program on WNHU with his wife Joan where their annual St. Patrick's Day show was heard around the tri-state area and beyond. For thirty years he hosted radio shows on WNHU to share his love of Irish, jazz, and folk music and was a DJ for weddings and parties in his retirement. For many years Pat and his wife Joan taught Irish set dancing lessons in New Haven and Fairfield and traveled the world participating in dance workshops and exhibitions. Aside from his music, he loved food, gardening, spending time with his grandchildren, traveling with his wife and was fiercely proud of his Irish culture and his American citizenship. He frequently made trips his childhood home in Ireland to visit with his large family. Patrick and his family are grateful to his many friends, family, and caregivers that helped him throughout his illness. Your phone calls, visits, meals, support and stories of his kindness are greatly appreciated. A Mass of Christian Burial will be Celebrated on Thursday, July 8, 2021 at 11:00 am at the Our Lady of the Assumption Church, 81 Center Road in Woodbridge with interment to follow in the family plot at Eastside Cemetery in Woodbridge. Visitation for friends and relatives will be held on Thursday morning from 8:30 am until 10:00 am at the Miller-Ward Funeral Home, 260 Bank Street (RT.67, across from Klarides Village) in Seymour. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Prostate Cancer Foundation at www.pcf.org Cemetery Details East Side Cemetery 157 South Pease Road Woodbridge, CT 06525 Previous Events Visitation JUL 8. 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM (ET) Miller-Ward Funeral Home 260 Bank Street Seymour, CT 06483 Mass of Christian Burial JUL 8. 11:00 AM (ET) Our Lady of the Assumption Church 81 Center Road Woodbridge