Michael Patrick Kenny, 69, passed away peacefully with his wife, Sharon, at his side, on March 13, 2020.
Michael, a son of Peter and Helen Cahill Kenny, grew up in New Brunswick and Sayreville. He graduated from St. Joseph HS in Metuchen and went to the University of Oklahoma to play Division I basketball. A knee injury ended his athletic career; he returned home and graduated from Rutgers College with Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude honors in English. He completed an alternate route certification program while teaching at Middlesex County College. Michael spent his entire career as an English teacher at East Brunswick HS, retiring in 2007. He instilled strong writing and analytic skills in his students, many of whom returned after graduation to tell him how well he prepared them for college. He ran the largest Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival in New Jersey for high school students, bringing in some of the nation's most renowned poets. Michael loved teaching and going to plays, athletic events, recitals and even weddings of his students. He was an assistant varsity basketball coach at East Brunswick HS and later basketball and baseball coach at Joyce Kilmer School in Milltown.
Michael was a sports enthusiast who enjoyed golfing, fishing on the Shrewsbury River on his boat, and rooting for the NY Giants, Boston Red Sox, and the UNC Tarheels. He had a great sense of humor and loved to laugh and talk. He was an avid reader and a cooking and gardening enthusiast. He loved going to Monmouth Park, trying new restaurants, and sitting on his deck or in his backyard with family, friends, The Dude, Lebowski, and his dog, Seamus. Michael and Sharon enjoyed traveling to California, Vermont, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, England, and Ireland, where he celebrated his Irish heritage with cousins on numerous visits.
Michael was a loyal friend, loving family member and adoring PopPop. He was predeceased by his parents and his sister, Kathryn Fillmore. Michael is survived by his wife, Sharon Selesky Kenny; his son, Sean and daughter-in-law Kendyl Kenny of Encinitas, CA; his brothers, Peter (Peggy) and William (Mary) Kenny; his sister, Elizabeth (Armando) Orsini; brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Francis and Candice Selesky; his beloved grandsons, Landon and Charlie Kenny; and many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
A celebration of a great Irish life will be held at a later time. Donations to St. Jude's Children's Hospital or the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation in Michael's name would be appreciated.
