Thomas Kennedy
Thomas (Tom) Robert Kennedy, 71 of Green Bay, Wisconsin, was welcomed into his eternal home in heaven on February 15, 2024, amid ongoing struggles with his health. Tom was born in Parkston, SD on September 28, 1952, to the late Charles Robert Kennedy and Helen Jane (Heisinger) Kennedy. The oldest of five children, he graduated from Lincoln High School in Sioux Falls South Dakota in 1970.
Growing up, Tom was passionate about athletics- a special bond he shared with his dad. He excelled in basketball, football, and baseball, winning the state championships alongside his teammates in all three sports as a high schooler. Tom went on to play baseball at South Dakota State University, where he majored in Pharmacy. It was there he met the love of his life, Dana Lynn Logan.
Tom and Dana were married on December 28, 1979, in Pueblo, Colorado. While in Colorado, the newlyweds enjoyed hiking and skiing in the Rocky Mountains. It was during this time that Tom cultivated an interest in photography and spent many hours capturing the natural world that surrounded him on film.
Tom’s career in pharmacy spanned over 35 years and allowed him to experience life in new places. He worked in South Dakota, Washington D.C., Colorado, Texas, and Wisconsin. What Tom enjoyed most about pharmacy was relating to and helping people. He loved his patients and genuinely cared about the staff that he managed, often going out of his way to hand-deliver prescriptions to patients too ill to visit the pharmacy.
Always a voracious reader and book collector, Tom was a man passionate about knowledge and endeavored to instill that value in his children. From philosophy to economic theory, from politics to history, he always had new ideas to share and discuss. When asked what his favorite possessions are, he responded by saying “Books are, for me, passports to new worlds. We live in a technologically advanced age but what others thought about in simpler times may be more important. Material possessions are transient and will remain temporal. The most valuable possessions I have lie in my memories. The immaterial part of our being is what will survive our mortality. The stories of the Bible and promises conferred by our Creator are all that lasts.”
Tom was an accomplished scholar, earning a Master of Theology at Dallas Theological Seminary and a Juris Doctor at the University of South Dakota. But his proudest accomplishment in life will forever be his family. Ever the supportive and doting dad, Tom’s bliss was guiding and mentoring his kids. He shared a special interest in the law with his daughter Elizabeth and encouraged her in her academic and professional endeavors. He took very seriously his role of hockey dad for his son, Brian, rarely missing a game. He couldn’t have been prouder when Brian embarked on a career in the Navy and then eventually when he was selected for helo pilot training in the Army National Guard. He enthusiastically supported his youngest child, Anne, in her musical talents and was curious to teach himself about software engineering when she chose to pursue that career path. Tom and Anne’s most beloved shared pastime was, of course, discussing the Packers.
Tom leaves behind a legacy of the fulfillment found in living as a servant. He sacrificed himself as a father, husband, coworker, and friend. In all his actions, Tom sought to elevate those around him. In the end, Tom was never self-pitying for the physical ailments he endured but always spoke of how blessed he was for all he had in life.
Tom is missed beyond measure by his wife, Dana and three children: Elizabeth Kennedy, Minneapolis, MN; Brian Kennedy, Virginia Beach, VA; and Anne Kennedy, Lakeville, MN; four siblings: Cathy (Kennedy) Buckley (Tim), Timothy Kennedy (Susan), Todd Kennedy, and Patrick Kennedy (Mary); brother-in-law Jerry Logan(Teresa); sisters-in-law: Pam (Logan) Cassidy (Jack), Mary (Logan) Graham (Norman); Jeanne (Logan) Liming; Lori(Logan) Sawyer (Jeff); Lisa (Logan) Lewison(Chad), and Amy (Logan) Salter (James); and numerous nieces and nephews.
Visitation for Tom will be held on Friday, February 23, 2024, from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at Proko-Wall Funeral Home, 1630 E. Mason St. Visitation will continue on Saturday, February 24, 2024, from 10:45 a.m. until the time of Funeral Service at 12:00 p.m. at New Hope Presbyterian Church, 2401 Deckner Ave. with Rev. Jared Van Noord officiating.
In lieu of flowers and other expressions of sympathy, the family suggests a donation in Tom’s name. Tom was a proud Navy Seal dad and would be honored for gifts in his memory to be made to The Navy Seal Foundation, a charity very close to his heart. https://www.navysealfoundation.org/donate/
The family extends their heartfelt thanks to the competent and caring staff of the ICU at Aurora Hospital, in particular, Dr. Mark Riedy for his compassionate guidance and care.