Obituary of Edward Kennedy

Niskayuna - Edward (Ed) F. Kennedy died at home on November 25th, 2012 at the age of 96 after a long full life. He was predeceased by his son, Bill Kennedy of Princeton, New Jersey; and his sisters, Elaine Kennedy of Monson, Massachusetts, and Alice Srodoski of Schenectady, New York. He leaves his wife of 73 years, Rae Kennedy; his daughter-in-law, Pat Kennedy; his granddaughters, Kathy Kennedy and her husband, Jim Dykes of Williamsville, New York and Sheila Miles of Princeton, New Jersey; his great-grandchildren, Edward Dykes, Victoria Dykes, Timothy Miles, and James Miles; and his nephew, Paul Srodoski. Ed was born in Milford, Massachusetts on September 26th 1916. He moved with his parents, William H. Kennedy and Ada Spence, to Schenectady, New York as a child. He attended Nott Terrace High School and worked for the General Electric Company as a machinist for more than 38 years. Ed and Rae were married Christmas Day, December 1938. Together they bought a home, worked hard and raised Bill. In 1956 Ed became active in boating and, along with first mate, Rae, owned several yachts over the years. He was a member of the Schenectady Yacht Club from July 1956 until he died. He served as commodore at the Schenectady Yacht Club from 1961 to 1963 and commodore of the Mohawk-Hudson Council of Yacht Clubs in 1970. He was a 32nd Degree Mason, and a member of both the Elks and Moose service clubs. He enjoyed trips to the Saratoga Racetrack, drinking a good Manhattan, straight up, and playing poker. In 1978, Ed and Rae retired to Florida where they continued to enjoy an active life. Always interested in people and the world, they traveled within the United States, including Las Vegas and Hawaii, and internationally to Hong Kong, England and Switzerland, as well as on several cruises, which included a trip to Alaska. Most summers were spent on their yacht, moored at the Schenectady Yacht Club or on extended boating trips. One memorable trip in 1974 took Ed, Rae, their son and his family through Ed's record of 100 locks; departing from Schenec- tady, they traveled along the Mohawk River, through the Erie Canal to Lake Ontario, crossed Lake Ontario to Kingston, Canada through the Rideau Canal to Ottawa, through one St. Lawrence Seaway lock to Montreal and South to Lake Champaign. Funeral services will be held on Saturday, December 8 at 10 a.m. at Daly Funeral Home, 242 McClellan St., Schenectady, New York with burial following in the family plot at Most Holy Redeemer Cemetery in Niskayuna, New York.