Kevin Whelan

He leaves sons Tim and Dan (Aimee), granddaughters Kate and Anna, many nieces and nephews, extended family, and friends far and wide to mourn his loss.

He was the youngest of nine children born to James and Sarah (Crowley). Kevin was the last surviving member of his generation, predeceased by his parents James (1893 – 1964) and Sarah (1896 – 1946), and siblings James Whelan (1917 – 1974), John Whelan (1919 – 1976), Marie Lewis (1921 – 1975), Veronica Whelan (1922 – 1923), Martin Whelan (1925 – 1986), Patricia Del Duca (1930 – 1999), Gerard Whelan (1932 – 2010, and Sarah Pappas (1938 – 2005). Kevin was also predeceased by his daughter-in-law, Meg Anne.

Kevin’s upbringing in Brooklyn was a point of pride for his entire life and the focus of many of his stories about family and growing up. Kevin lost his mother to leukemia at age three and did not have an easy childhood, but a nostalgia for that period in time remained with him for the rest of his life. Anyone who knew him for longer than a moment most certainly heard an anecdote about life on Bergen Street. You could take the man out of Brooklyn, but you couldn’t take Brooklyn out of the man.

Despite growing up with many unmet needs due to financial hardship—or maybe because of it— he became a father who provided a solid foundation for his sons to succeed in life through love, education, and hard work.

A blind date brought Kevin and Henia together in 1966. After that first date, Kevin met up with friends at his local watering hole and told them he had just met the girl he was going to marry. Kevin often said that meeting Henia was the best thing that ever happened to him, and that he married an angel. Knowing what she put up with for nearly six decades, we’d have to agree.

Kevin was influenced to join the Navy by his father’s stories of life as a merchant marine. He began his naval training in 1961, eventually retiring as a Senior Chief Petty Officer in 1981. Kevin served two deployments in Vietnam and his time on sea took him nearly around the world. He was stationed in Charleston, SC, Brooklyn, NY, Newport, RI, Oakland, CA, Naples and Sardinia, Italy, and New London, CT. In 1979, he and Henia moved to Montville, CT, a place they would call home for most of 40 years.

Kevin retired from the military, but he didn’t stray very far, spending the second half of his working life as a civilian employee of the US Navy. He first worked at Naval Submarine Base New London, but spent the bulk of his time as a member of the Supervisor of Ship Building team at General Dynamic’s Electric Boat plant in Groton, CT. There, he performed quality audits of the nuclear systems aboard submarines. Being a former sailor, he took the safety of submarine systems very seriously. As a result, he was well known around the shipyard as being a tough, thorough, and inquisitive inspector, earning himself the nickname “Colombo” for his habit of saying “Ah… just one more thing.” Even though those he audited might groan when they saw him coming, Kevin usually left them with a good joke or two for their trouble.

Kevin had a keen sense of humor and loved to make people laugh. We think it was in the blood…but considering he was barely 115 lbs soaking wet when he joined the Navy, maybe that little guy with the Coke-bottle glasses just needed an edge to help make friends and defuse fights. Kevin had a remarkable mental Rolodex of jokes that he was quick (so, so quick) to pull out whenever he got an audience. He loved people…but especially those who loved his jokes.

After retirement in 2007, Kevin and Henia relocated to Greensboro to be closer to their favorite child, Tim. Dan is still bitter and resents the loss of Sunday dinner leftovers.

In retirement, they traveled, enjoyed the company of good friends, and were blessed with two beloved granddaughters. Kevin enjoyed TV, fishing, and movies and music old and new (particularly those that brought him back to his childhood of the 1950s). He loved naps, and perhaps most importantly: being PopPop to Kate and Anna.

Kevin lived a slower pace in later retirement as his sight and mobility began to decline, but diligently maintained a virtual part-time job of staying in touch with friends, fellow service members, and colleagues from across the years and across the country.

He was profoundly grateful for the life that he was given.

Kevin’s family would like to thank the staff at Hospice Home at High Point for their compassion and care during his last days. In lieu of flowers, perhaps consider making a donation to Hospice Home to help sustain their mission of providing support to all who need it.

A funeral mass will be held on Friday, August 29, 2025 at 12:15pm at St. Benedict Catholic Church, at 109 S. Smith Street, Greensboro, NC.