Thomas Kennedy

United States Army Major Thomas Kennedy passed away on August 8, 2012 while in the line of duty.

Kennedy was born in Suffern, New York and raised in New City, New York. He grew up the youngest of three boys, with whom he played sports with and shared many friends in their close-knit neighborhood. The Kennedy family is a large Irish one, consisting of many aunts, uncles, and cousins who were all close to each other. Kennedy followed in his brothers’ footsteps, becoming an avid hockey player. He played on local youth travel teams, his high school team, as well as for the United States Military Academy at West Point. Later in life, he loved to play golf with friends and family. Kennedy and his wife, Kami, met at his oldest brother’s wedding. They dated for four years before marrying.

Having found that he loved what he did while attending the United States Military Academy at West Point, Kennedy decided to join the US Army before being commissioned in May of 2000. He was a natural-born leader and mentor to many young soldiers and cadets; he treated them like family. Kennedy’s goal was to be the best Army Officer he could be. He wanted to make a difference in the unit he was serving and be a positive role model for his fellow soldiers. Throughout his honorable career, Kennedy earned dozens of awards and service medals, including two Bronze Star Medals, a Purple Heart and Bronze Star Posthumous, two Meritorious Service Medals, three Army Commendation Medals, and three Army Achievement Medals, among many others. While deployed in Eastern Afghanistan, Kennedy was killed by a Taliban suicide bomber while en route to a Provencial Governor’s meeting.

Kami currently resides in Georgia, in the town she grew up in. She moved back after the premature passing of her husband to be closer to family and friends. She adores watching her twins, Maggie and Brody, play their sports. She is also a big college football fan and enjoys rooting for the University of Georgia Bulldogs. In the future, Kami is excited to see the paths that her children take. Despite them being twins, they are very different from each other and share different interests. Having the peace of mind of a mortgage-free home will allow Kami to focus more on her children as well as her health. Finally, she would like others to know that her husband was a natural-born leader. He was well-respected by his peers and mentors. She and her family continue to be touched by the impact Kennedy had on others’ lives and the ways in which they continue to keep his memory alive. He was a proud father and husband, and is sorely missed.

United States Army Major Thomas Kennedy is survived by his loving wife, Kami, and his beautiful children, Maggie and Brody.