Thomas Kennedy, former NYPD sergeant, dies at 91

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Former NYPD Sergeant Thomas Kennedy of Anti-Crime in the 7th Precinct in New York City died in his sleep on Jan. 8 of natural causes at age 91. He died at Eger Harbor House, Inc., an assisted living facility located in Staten Island. 

Thomas is the father of Freeport Mayor Robert Kennedy.

Reflecting on his father’s life, Mayor Kennedy shared that it his father who brought him fishing on the Nautical Mile when he was only nine-years-old. He described his father as a stern, honest and fair man who was devoted to his family.

“My dad was a great person,” Mayor Kennedy said. “My dad was a great fisherman and introduced me to Freeport 50 years ago. He would always say to me ‘don’t put off until tomorrow, what you can do today.”

Thomas was originally from Brooklyn and moved to Staten Island in the 1960s. He raised his family there. Thomas retired from the NYPD in the early 1980s. His badge number, 19393 was also a badge number shared by his grandsons, Robert and Michael, who followed in his footsteps and joined the ranks of the NYPD before they transferred to work as police officers on Long Island.

When he wasn’t working with the NYPD, Thomas was driving a New York City cab at night in an effort to provide for his family. He also served in World War II in the Philippines with the U.S. Navy.

His wife, Frances Kelly, 89 and five children — Raymond, Denise, Robert, Mary, and Thomas, Jr., survive him. He also had 12 grandchildren, eight great children and one great-great grandchild.