Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Calls outside of office hours? No worries! Our team will respond within 10–15 minutes.
Services
Friends may visit with the family from 3-8 PM on Friday, February 5, 2016 at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne.
Funeral services will be held 9 AM on Saturday, February 6, 2016 from the funeral home then to Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary RC Church, 45 Urban Club Road, Wayne where a 10 AM Funeral Mass will be offered.
Interment will be in Christ the King Cemetery, Franklin Lakes.
Russell (Russ) E. Kennedy age 71 of Wayne passed peacefully on Monday, February 1, 2016.
He was born in the Bronx, New York and raised on 44th Street in the Astoria Section of Queens, New York. He attended Saint John’s Prep in Brooklyn and after freshman year transferred to William Cullen Bryant H.S. in Queens. He received his undergraduate degree from Quinnipiac University with the Class of 1972. He went on to get his MBA for the University of New Haven with the Class of 1975.
During his years at Quinnipiac University Russ worked as a salesman for the General Electric Corporation selling audio products such as CB radios, 8 track tape players, and he recounted having the first G.E. version of a “Walkman” while living in Wallingford, CT. After college, he moved to Liverpool, NY then to Fairfield, CT where he continued to work for the G.E. Corporation in their Marketing Division. He has also worked for SK Tools as a VP of Marketing in Wheaton, IL, the Black and Decker Corporation in Easton and Phoenix, MD as VP of Marketing, before moving to Wayne, New Jersey where he worked for the ColorRite Corporation in Ridgefield Park as General Manager, the GAF Corporation in their roofing division as head of Sales and Marketing, the Hastings Corporation in Freeport, Long Island as VP and General Manager, the Eagle Corporation in Long Island City, NY as VP of Marketing, Super Products of New Jersey, and ENAP, Inc. of New Windsor, NY where he served as President and CEO. Although retired, Russ continued to consult for business.
He will be remembered for his phenomenal sense of humor, his calm and compassionate way, his great business sense, and the way he made people around him feel at ease. He was a mentor, knowledgeable and trusted confidant and sounding board for friends and family, and an all-around great communicator.
Russ met the love of his life, Cathy Gomoka, at the library on the week of her 14th birthday. They would both rode the train as freshman in high school. Cathy would get off for Saint Albert’s H.S. in the Williamsburg Section of Brooklyn, and he would get off for Saint John’s Preparatory High School in Brooklyn. The first official date was to a play at Saint John’s called “No Time for Sergeants.” Russ proposed marriage to Cathy at the Copa Cabana Lounge on July 4, 1963. They married at Most Precious Blood Church in Astoria Queens on September 26, 1964 and honeymooned at the Mount Airey Lodge in Pennsylvania.
He was dedicated to his Catholic faith and a devoted parishioner, Eucharistic Minister, and Usher of Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary RC Church in Wayne.
Russell was the loving husband of fifty-one years to Catherine (Gomoka) Kennedy; devoted father of Russell and his wife Christina of Havre de Grace, MD, John and his wife Marcy of Orlando, FL, Brian and his girlfriend Kathleen Collins of Farmingdale, Long Island, NY, the late Kimberly Sgammato (2001) and her surviving husband Joseph and his wife Lynn; cherished grandfather of Jack, Katie, Meagan, Nicholas, William Russell Kennedy and Timothy and Dominic Sgammato; and dear uncle to many nieces, nephews and great nieces.
He was predeceased by his parents Edward and Agnes Kennedy, in-laws Walter and Kay Gomoka, brother Lawrence Kennedy, and nephew Terence Kennedy.
Russ is the much loved brother-in-law to Walter and Marianne Gomoka, Marilyn and Richie Miller, Bernadette and Bill Jaros, Frank and Alka Gomoka.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the College of Mt. St. Vincent (In memo place “The Kimberly Fund”), 6301 Riverdale Ave., Riverdale, NY 10471-1093 would be appreciated.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Friends may visit with the family from 3-8 PM on Friday, February 5, 2016 at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne.
Funeral services will be held 9 AM on Saturday, February 6, 2016 from the funeral home then to Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary RC Church, 45 Urban Club Road, Wayne where a 10 AM Funeral Mass will be offered.
Interment will be in Christ the King Cemetery, Franklin Lakes.
Services
Friends may visit with the family from 3-8 PM on Friday, February 5, 2016 at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne.
Funeral services will be held 9 AM on Saturday, February 6, 2016 from the funeral home then to Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary RC Church, 45 Urban Club Road, Wayne where a 10 AM Funeral Mass will be offered.
Interment will be in Christ the King Cemetery, Franklin Lakes.
Russell (Russ) E. Kennedy age 71 of Wayne passed peacefully on Monday, February 1, 2016.
He was born in the Bronx, New York and raised on 44th Street in the Astoria Section of Queens, New York. He attended Saint John’s Prep in Brooklyn and after freshman year transferred to William Cullen Bryant H.S. in Queens. He received his undergraduate degree from Quinnipiac University with the Class of 1972. He went on to get his MBA for the University of New Haven with the Class of 1975.
During his years at Quinnipiac University Russ worked as a salesman for the General Electric Corporation selling audio products such as CB radios, 8 track tape players, and he recounted having the first G.E. version of a “Walkman” while living in Wallingford, CT. After college, he moved to Liverpool, NY then to Fairfield, CT where he continued to work for the G.E. Corporation in their Marketing Division. He has also worked for SK Tools as a VP of Marketing in Wheaton, IL, the Black and Decker Corporation in Easton and Phoenix, MD as VP of Marketing, before moving to Wayne, New Jersey where he worked for the ColorRite Corporation in Ridgefield Park as General Manager, the GAF Corporation in their roofing division as head of Sales and Marketing, the Hastings Corporation in Freeport, Long Island as VP and General Manager, the Eagle Corporation in Long Island City, NY as VP of Marketing, Super Products of New Jersey, and ENAP, Inc. of New Windsor, NY where he served as President and CEO. Although retired, Russ continued to consult for business.
He will be remembered for his phenomenal sense of humor, his calm and compassionate way, his great business sense, and the way he made people around him feel at ease. He was a mentor, knowledgeable and trusted confidant and sounding board for friends and family, and an all-around great communicator.
Russ met the love of his life, Cathy Gomoka, at the library on the week of her 14th birthday. They would both rode the train as freshman in high school. Cathy would get off for Saint Albert’s H.S. in the Williamsburg Section of Brooklyn, and he would get off for Saint John’s Preparatory High School in Brooklyn. The first official date was to a play at Saint John’s called “No Time for Sergeants.” Russ proposed marriage to Cathy at the Copa Cabana Lounge on July 4, 1963. They married at Most Precious Blood Church in Astoria Queens on September 26, 1964 and honeymooned at the Mount Airey Lodge in Pennsylvania.
He was dedicated to his Catholic faith and a devoted parishioner, Eucharistic Minister, and Usher of Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary RC Church in Wayne.
Russell was the loving husband of fifty-one years to Catherine (Gomoka) Kennedy; devoted father of Russell and his wife Christina of Havre de Grace, MD, John and his wife Marcy of Orlando, FL, Brian and his girlfriend Kathleen Collins of Farmingdale, Long Island, NY, the late Kimberly Sgammato (2001) and her surviving husband Joseph and his wife Lynn; cherished grandfather of Jack, Katie, Meagan, Nicholas, William Russell Kennedy and Timothy and Dominic Sgammato; and dear uncle to many nieces, nephews and great nieces.
He was predeceased by his parents Edward and Agnes Kennedy, in-laws Walter and Kay Gomoka, brother Lawrence Kennedy, and nephew Terence Kennedy.
Russ is the much loved brother-in-law to Walter and Marianne Gomoka, Marilyn and Richie Miller, Bernadette and Bill Jaros, Frank and Alka Gomoka.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the College of Mt. St. Vincent (In memo place “The Kimberly Fund”), 6301 Riverdale Ave., Riverdale, NY 10471-1093 would be appreciated.
Guestbook