KENT, Conn.—Kent paused on a busy Saturday morning to say goodbye to a little man with a huge heart.
In a moving ceremony held at St. Andrew’s Church a capacity crowd paid tribute to Robert S. Kennedy, a long-time and well-loved resident who for decades was a friend to those of all ages and all species.
Kennedy, 71, who was born in Guam to Dr. John E. and Olga (Sommer) Kennedy, died unexpectedly in February at the home of his brother and sister-in-law in Kent. He spent his early years traveling the world with his family as his father worked as a doctor in Micronesia, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Thailand and Zaire. In 1962, the family of nine settled in Kent.
Following graduation from Housatonic Valley Regional High School, he worked at South Kent School where his good humor and kindly disposition made him a favorite with students and staff.
Later, he worked for Davis IGA for 32 years and dedicated his service as a volunteer to the Parks and Recreation Department, where he was affectionately known as “Coach Kennedy,” at Kent School, St. Andrew’s Church and the Kent Volunteer Fire Department.
His love for animals included keeping sheep and a donkey at the family homestead in North Kent and neighborhood pets got daily walks while he lived in town at Templeton Farms.
His perambulations gained note in Linda Ley’s poem, “A Man Called Robbie,” which was read at the funeral service by Jack Kennedy. The final stanza mourned, “Now you have drifted out of our lives/ And joined you hand with your Creator/ Walking on the Golden Street/ In Heaven. Walk on!”
His social, kindly and service-oriented life was celebrated by other speakers as well. Penny MacRitchie said he visited her daily following his work at Davis IGA. “He would tell me everything that had happened during his day,” she recalled.
“I knew Robbie for a long, long time,” she said with emotion. “He was a wonderful friend of mine and I was so blessed to have him as part of my life. I will miss him so much.”
She drew laughs when she told about the day he asked if she knew how to make stuffed peppers. She offered to make them for him the next day and he asked if he could make them right away. She willingly agreed and made up six peppers for him. The next day she asked how he had enjoyed them and he announced he had eaten them all!
Tim Sneller, chief of the fire department, said he was present “to honor a man who meant a great deal to this organization. From the start, he had one clear goal—he wanted to be a firefighter and he wanted to serve.”
He noted the challenges that Kennedy overcame in achieving that goal. “He worked hard and took on the challenge,” Sneller said. “He wanted to contribute.”
He recalled Kennedy’s smiling presence at parades and other events and concluded, “Thank you for your service and your loyalty.”
Gary Davis, former owner of Davis IGA, remembered his long friendship with Kennedy, which began more than a half century ago when they were fellow athletes on the Kent Babe Ruth Team and on the track team at Housatonic Valley Regional High School. (See full eulogy under obituaries).
“After many years of working at South Kent School, Rob came to work at our family grocery store,” he recounted. “He worked for us for almost 32 years. When my mom hired him, she knew he had some limitations and we worked with him to figure out what was best for him. We quickly discovered that stocking shelves wasn’t his thing, so we came up with other job duties.”
The faithful employee swept and mopped floors, crushed cardboard boxes, put trash in the dumpster, helped unload deliveries and more. Davis told of the night when Kennedy dumped outdated cottage cheese, yogurt, sour cream and ice cream into the dumpster. “When the driver dumped the dumpster, his windshield got covered with slop. OOPS! Someone forgot to put the lid on the bucket, and the mess was more than the windshield wipers could handle, so Rob got the hose out and washed the windshield.”
He noted that Kennedy did not drive and that he rode his bike in sun, rain or snow wearing bulky bad weather gear when needed. Only occasionally did he call the store for a pick up when the weather was really nasty.
“He was punctual, however, every now and then he punched in late,” his former employer recalled. “I suspect he got caught up passing pleasantries with one of his many friends along the way.”
“You could say Rob was the town favorite,” Davis said. “Everyone either knew him or knew of him. He had quite the imagination and shared some great stories with us. … Rob was one of a kind!”
The service ended with a KVFD honor guard escorting firefighter Ed Matson, who carried a funerary casket topped by Kennedy’s battered cap out of the church.
Those attending the service were invited to process behind the contingent of firefighters and family to the firehouse where refreshments were served. Kennedy’s brother, Jeff, expressed heartfelt thanks to all the townspeople who had embraced his brother during his long residency in the town.
At the firehouse, First Selectman Eric Epstein read a proclamation declaring May 9 to be “Be Kind Day” in honor of Kennedy. The resolution declared:
WHEREAS, the Town of Kent is committed to fostering a welcoming, supportive, and compassionate community for all residents and visitors; and
WHEREAS, kindness is a simple yet powerful act that strengthens relationships, uplifts individuals, and enhances the quality of life throughout our community; and
WHEREAS, Robby Kennedy has exemplified the spirit of kindness through actions that inspire others to treat one another with empathy, respect, and generosity; and
WHEREAS, recognizing and celebrating kindness encourages individuals of all ages to make a positive difference in the lives of others; and
WHEREAS, the designation of a “Be Kind Day” serves as a meaningful reminder that even the smallest acts of kindness can create lasting impact;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Kent Board of Selectmen hereby proclaims May 9th as
“Be Kind Day” in honor of Robby Kennedy, and calls upon all residents, businesses, and organizations within the Town of Kent to celebrate this day by performing acts of kindness and promoting goodwill throughout the community.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, we have hereunto set our hands this 5th of May, 2026.
Eric Epstein, First Selectman
Lynn Worthington, Selectman
Lynn Harrington, Selectman
