Dec. 19, 2006 — The St. Thomas retail world lost one of its most unique personalities Friday when Larry Kennedy, 67, died in a Florida hospital.
A longtime Sea Chest sales person, Kennedy died after several months of hospitalization in Florida. He was looking forward to being home for the Christmas holidays, and his death shocked his friends.
Kennedy had lived on St. Thomas since the early 1970s, when he moved from New York.
Before embarking on his almost 16-year career selling hardware and offering his brand of homespun advice, he had tended bar, working at Wet Willies downtown, at the now-defunct Bar Normandie in Frenchtown and at the old Crew Bar in Havensight.
Sue de Villiers, Sea Chest comptroller, shook her head sadly this week in remembering Kennedy. "Everybody is upset," she said — customers and employees alike. "Everybody just liked him." At the Sea Chest counter, a picture of Kennedy and a funeral bow adorn his now-empty computer terminal.
"Ever the gentlemen, Larry waited for his friend to arrive before letting go," said Betsy Woodward, Kennedys work colleague and good friend. She traveled to Florida Thursday to see Kennedy, and he died Friday morning.
"Larry was more than just an employee; he was a friend," said Craig Kirchoff, Sea Chest general manager. Thinking about it a minute, Kirchoff added, with a slight laugh, "And he always had to get his two cents in."
In Frenchtown Kennedy was a familiar figure. He called the community home for the last 30 years or so. Early in the morning he could be seen on his way to work, always stopping to chat for a minute or two. "Ive known Larry for so many years," said Geraldine "Dalia" Rambaran, who sells the newspaper by the Post Office entrance. "I just cant believe I wont see him again."
Kennedy is survived by his son, Brion, and many friends, including de Villiers; Kirchoff; Woodward, Sam OMeara; Sig and Bette Fosdall; Molly and Dan Stecher; Betsy Sheehan; Barbara and Trent Lawrence; Ted and Becky Luscz; Patty Burke; Anne Mahoney; Jan Swenson; Patricia Hector; Amy Angulo; Lou James; Rambaran; and his dear friend and landlord, Louis "Moomo" Quetel.
A memorial service will be held in January at a date to be announced. Arrangements are by Davis Funeral Home.
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