Rear Admiral Kevin F. Delaney, USN (RET)

Rear Admiral Kevin Francis Delaney, USN (ret), 68, of Jacksonville passed away April 7, 2015, following a lengthy illness. He is the son of Mildred Keyo Delaney and John V. Delaney. He is survived by his wife Pat to whom he has been married for 46 years; daughters Kelly Delaney (Laird), Diana Delaney McNulty (Barry) and Seana Delaney McAfee (Matthew) as well as five grandsons Stuart Delaney McAfee, Connor Delaney McNulty, Kevin Coleman McAfee, Sean Delaney McNulty and Robert Patrick McAfee.

A native of Wolcott, CT, Kevin received a Congressional Appointment to the United States Naval Academy and reported immediately after graduation from Wolcott High School in June, 1964. He graduated in June, 1968, with a BS in Engineering as a member of the 9th Company and three days later married his wife Pat in Philadelphia, PA. He reported to Pensacola in July, 1968, to commence flight training and received his wings of gold as a Naval Aviator in August, 1969.

In December, 1969, Kevin reported to his first operational assignment with the famed Navy “Seawolves” of Helicopter Attack (Light) Squadron Three in the Republic of Vietnam where he flew helicopter gunships on 686 combat missions in support of Navy riverine forces and SEAL units in the Mekong Delta.

Kevin served in a total of six operational aircraft squadrons, had multiple major staff assignments and was Air Boss on USS Guadalcanal off the coast of Beirut. Kevin had six command tours including two aviation squadrons, an aircraft wing and NAS Jacksonville. Under his command NAS Jacksonville was selected as the Navy’s top shore installation in 1991. He also served as Commander, Naval Shore Activities, US Atlantic Fleet and was the first Director of Shore Installation Management on the CNO’s staff. Just prior to his retirement, he served as the Navy’s Regional Commander for the Southeastern United States and the Caribbean where he was responsible for over 40 commands, including 14 major Naval installations.

Of the 98 awards and decorations he received over the course of his career, 64 were for combat action and include the Silver Star Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross, 11 Single Action Air Medals, 26 Strike/ Fight Air Medals and 6 Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Crosses. He was also awarded the Navy Distinguished Service Medal and 4 awards of the Legion of Merit.

Kevin earned a Master’s Degree in Business from George Washington University and graduated from the Armed Forces Staff College. He completed advanced post graduate studies at MIT and Harvard. He was also a Federal Executive Fellow at the Brookings Institution.

After his Navy retirement, he worked in the private sector for three years. He founded a consulting firm which specialized in assisting small and medium businesses, particularly those which were veteran owned.

Over the past 19 years, Kevin served on the boards of 19 area non-profit organizations in Northeast Florida. He was the past Chairman of the Ronald McDonald House Advisory Board, past President of the Florida State College of Jacksonville Foundation, a two term member of the Board of Trustees of both Jacksonville University and Florida State College, past President of the Rotary Club of Jacksonville and a Paul Harris Fellow. He was the past Chairman and past President of the Northeast Florida Safety Council, past Chairman of the United Way of Northeast Florida and was Chairman of the United Way of Northeast Florida’s 2001-2002 Campaign. In 2005, he served as Chairman of the Jacksonville Beaches Chamber of Commerce. Kevin has been recognized by the Jacksonville Business Journal as one of Jacksonville’s 10 most influential business leaders of the decade (1990-2000). In August, 2008, he was appointed to a second two-year term on the U.S. Business Administration’s National Advisory Council. He was currently serving a third term on the National Board of Directors of The Wounded Warrior Project. Kevin was appointed by the Governor of Florida to serve on the Florida Defense Support Task Force. In 2014, he was honored by the Small Business Administration as the “Veteran Small Business Champion of the Year” for the State of Florida and as the 2014 Veteran of Influence. Kevin was honored by the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce in 2014, as the most influential veteran, and he was installed as the very first member of their Military Hall of Fame.

A Memorial Mass will be held at St. Edwards Catholic Chapel onboard Naval Air Station Jacksonville on April 20, 2015 at 10:00 am. All guests are welcome to attend the memorial service. Those attending the service at NAS Jacksonville should proceed via the Birmingham Gate – gate closest to I-295. If you do not have a military ID card, you are kindly asked to register your attendance at 904.542.5588 or email: [email protected], in order to expedite your access to the base. All personnel entering NAS Jacksonville are required to present a valid picture ID. Please plan on arriving 45 minutes early to avoid delays at the gate.

In lieu of flowers, you are encouraged to make a contribution to K-9’s for Warriors, 260 S. Roscoe Blvd, Ponte Vedra, FL 32082, The Wounded Warrior Project, or First Coast No More Homeless Pets, 6817 Norwood Ave, Jacksonville, FL 32208.

A private family interment will be held at Jacksonville National Cemetery.

Arrangements by Hardage-Giddens Chapel Hills Funeral Home, 850 St. Johns Bluff Rd. N., Jacksonville, FL 32225. www.hardage-giddenschapelhills.com