Saturday, March 15, 2025
Today, I want to honor my brother Joe. Born on June 7, 1944, the day after the D-Day Landings, his influence on my life cannot be overstated. Teaching me to play stickball and two-hand touch football on the street epitomized my childhood in Brooklyn. He took me to baseball games, concerts, museums, and even taught me to play chess. He always encouraged me to work hard in school and team sports. Through the turbulent times of our generation, he was there for me. During our backpacking trips upstate NY, he shared things about life that still guide me today. He insisted I finish college after our dad got sick, and he loaned me the last $250 I needed to get my start in Texas.
The distance made it harder, but he played a central role in all the big events of our family. His call to me at work when our dad passed was very comforting. He stood in for dad at Mary’s and Cathy’s weddings and was a solid brother at both Jim’s wedding and mine. And he was steadfast in caring for our mom over many years, right up to her passing.
I have been blessed by many good people over the years, but they are not my heroes. Thank you, Joe. I will miss you but never forget you.
Thomas V. Kane
