Mary Kennedy
Born September 19, 1907, to Lawrence and Mary Lee McGrail, Mary Kennedy was a life-long resident of Branford. A graduate of the former New Haven Normal School (now Southern Connecticut State University), she began her teaching career as an elementary teacher in Great Neck, New York, and took graduate courses at New York University. Upon returning to Branford, she served as a substitute teacher before becoming the attendance supervisor for Branford Junior and Senior High Schools, a position she held for twenty-five years until her retirement in 1972.
Mary Kennedy's years in education occurred at a time when the school system provided little in the way of support services (counselors, social workers, psychologists), but untold numbers of students were saved by her intervention. There are countless stories about "MK," or "Mother Kennedy," as she was called, tracking down a truant and opening the door to improved learning. If a student appeared at school in cold weather without a coat, she would do whatever it took to find out why and do whatever she had to do-quietly and behind the scenes to remedy the problem. Her uncanny ability to size up a situation and to investigate the problem would put the CIA to shame. No one knew more about the students, yet few had a clue about her vast knowledge because she was a complete professional. The police frequently called on her to help with situations involving students; and she had a quiet but effective hand in many of the solutions for students' problems, both big and small.
Some say that Mary Kennedy could make a stone statue laugh, and no one told a story better than she. Innumerable times someone would say to her, "Mary, tell us the story about… (once again)." No matter how many times she had told it, it always bore repeating and always drew howls of laughter. At a number of gatherings, she was asked to "do the prepositions." Thereupon she recited the prepositions- all of them in alphabetical order!-in such a manner that no one could refrain from laughter, often to the point of tears.
One former student, whose mother had shared the same maternity room when Mary Kennedy's son was born, recalls that as soon as he started junior high school she treated him like a son. As the weeks went by, he began to consider that they had switched the babies in the maternity room and that she really was his mother. Only as he matured and heard other Mother Kennedy stories did he begin to understand that she treated every student as if he or she were her own. All the students learned that it was folly to try to outsmart the attendance officer and that they all loved Mary Kennedy.
Beyond the school system, Mary Kennedy had a significant impact on the CYO program at St. Mary Church and was a driving force in Branford's elderly initiatives, again quietly and behind the scenes. Yet her efforts were recognized. In 1996, when she retired as chairman of the Branford Housing Authority after twenty years of service, she was honored at the dedication ceremonies for Parkside Village II. She received an engraved tray from the authority and a citation from the state Department of Housing for her efforts. Undoubtedly more important to "Mother Kennedy," are the values engraved on the minds and hearts of those hundreds of students whose lives she touched.
The widow of Vincent Kennedy, Mary Kennedy died in 1996 at the age of eighty-nine and is survived by her son, John Kennedy, and daughter, Mary Buckley.
Mary Kennedy's years in education occurred at a time when the school system provided little in the way of support services (counselors, social workers, psychologists), but untold numbers of students were saved by her intervention. There are countless stories about "MK," or "Mother Kennedy," as she was called, tracking down a truant and opening the door to improved learning. If a student appeared at school in cold weather without a coat, she would do whatever it took to find out why and do whatever she had to do-quietly and behind the scenes to remedy the problem. Her uncanny ability to size up a situation and to investigate the problem would put the CIA to shame. No one knew more about the students, yet few had a clue about her vast knowledge because she was a complete professional. The police frequently called on her to help with situations involving students; and she had a quiet but effective hand in many of the solutions for students' problems, both big and small.
Some say that Mary Kennedy could make a stone statue laugh, and no one told a story better than she. Innumerable times someone would say to her, "Mary, tell us the story about… (once again)." No matter how many times she had told it, it always bore repeating and always drew howls of laughter. At a number of gatherings, she was asked to "do the prepositions." Thereupon she recited the prepositions- all of them in alphabetical order!-in such a manner that no one could refrain from laughter, often to the point of tears.
One former student, whose mother had shared the same maternity room when Mary Kennedy's son was born, recalls that as soon as he started junior high school she treated him like a son. As the weeks went by, he began to consider that they had switched the babies in the maternity room and that she really was his mother. Only as he matured and heard other Mother Kennedy stories did he begin to understand that she treated every student as if he or she were her own. All the students learned that it was folly to try to outsmart the attendance officer and that they all loved Mary Kennedy.
Beyond the school system, Mary Kennedy had a significant impact on the CYO program at St. Mary Church and was a driving force in Branford's elderly initiatives, again quietly and behind the scenes. Yet her efforts were recognized. In 1996, when she retired as chairman of the Branford Housing Authority after twenty years of service, she was honored at the dedication ceremonies for Parkside Village II. She received an engraved tray from the authority and a citation from the state Department of Housing for her efforts. Undoubtedly more important to "Mother Kennedy," are the values engraved on the minds and hearts of those hundreds of students whose lives she touched.
The widow of Vincent Kennedy, Mary Kennedy died in 1996 at the age of eighty-nine and is survived by her son, John Kennedy, and daughter, Mary Buckley.