36°
A pediatric nephrologist, Kennedy served as chair of pediatrics at Bridgeport Hospital for 21 years. He earned two teaching awards at Bridgeport, as well as two others from the University of Connecticut Health Center, where he worked from 1979-88.
He was a clinical professor of pediatrics at the Yale School of Medicine from 1994-2009, and also served as acting chief of pediatric nephrology at Yale for three years.
Born March 2, 1946, in Allentown, Pa., to the late Thomas Lyle and Sterla Fritzinger Kennedy, he was an athlete at William Allen High, playing varsity baseball and cross-country.
In 1968, he graduated from Princeton, where he majored in biology. He earned his medical degree from Cornell University in 1972.
Following his training at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia where he was chief resident, he served two years at Camp Lejeune, N.C. as a lieutenant commander and physician in the U.S. Navy.
Kennedy returned to Philadelphia to complete his fellowship in pediatric nephrology. As a member of a volunteer medical mission team, he made three trips to Jamaica to provide care to those in need.
Kennedy served as chairman of the Fairfield Board of Health for 10 years. He also co-chaired The United Way of Eastern Fairfield County's Success by Six program for six years and served on the board of directors for the Ronald McDonald House in New Haven.
Kennedy is survived by his wife of 47 years, Nancy; his sister, Sally Morgan of Riverside; his children, Todd (Michelle) of Tarrytown, N.Y., Leigh (Phil Ruvinsky) of New Canaan, and Andrew (Stephanie) of Montclair, N.J.; and five grandchildren, Maggie, Charlie, Sophia, Sarah and Lyle (Thomas Lyle V.)
He was a member of the Greenfield Hill Congregational Church and served as chair of the church council.
A memorial service is planned for 11 a.m. Saturday at the Greenfield Hill Congregational Church.
Contributions may be made to Bridgeport Hospital's Tom Kennedy Toy Closet, 267 Grant St., Bridgeport, CT, 06610 or the Greenfield Hill Congregational Church, 1045 Old Academy Road, Fairfield, CT, 06824.
Click here to follow Daily Voice Fairfield and receive free news updates.
