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Kevin Carmody Obituary

Kevin Carmody: 1958-2005

Award winner blended love of journalism, science in environmental reporting.

By Andrea Ball
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Friday, March 11, 2005

Award-winning journalist Kevin Carmody, known across the country for his dogged reporting on environmental issues, died Wednesday.

Carmody was an Austin American-Statesman reporter since 2000.

"Kevin Carmody was an excellent reporter," American-Statesman Editor Richard Oppel said Thursday. "His passion for science and passion for journalism merged perfectly. His intellect caused him to pursue the complex story, the controversial story and the story that illuminated life for the average citizen."

Carmody was one of the founding members of the Society of Environmental Journalists. Throughout his 26-year career, he won dozens of national awards for his detailed work on topics including pollution, landfills and government corruption.

"Kevin has just been a leading light in this community," said Beth Parke, executive director of the Society of Environmental Journalists. "He was so talented, the quintessential journalist."

Carmody was 46. His death is being investigated as a suicide.

Carmody's journalism career started in high school.

Back then, the Milwaukee resident was a competitive swimmer who had a former reporter for a swim coach. The coach persuaded Carmody to work on the school newspaper, and Carmody was hooked.

He majored in journalism at Marquette University and served as editor in chief of the campus newspaper.

But he also loved science. During his last semester in college, he pored over microbiology and organic chemistry books borrowed from from his aunt, who was a medical technologist.

Carmody would eventually blend those two passions by specializing in environmental reporting.

After graduating from Marquette in 1980, he worked at newspapers including the Milwaukee Sentinel, The Beaumont Enterprise, The Daily Progress in Charlottesville, Va., and the Daily Southtown in suburban Chicago.

His work never shied away from the controversial. Over the years, Carmody wrote about corrupt government officials, the effectiveness of the criminal court system and illegal pesticide use.

In 2003, he investigated the health risks caused by chemicals in Barton Springs Pool.

"As in the case of his investigation of pollutants in Barton Springs, his reporting could bring politicians, pseudo-scientists and special interests to rage — and to press conferences and demonstrations," Oppel said. "But, ultimately, he brought them to action."

But it was Carmody's grasp of the subject that set him apart from other journalists.

"There are not a lot of journalists in the United States who are willing and able to tackle complicated stories about chemical and health risks," said Jim Bruggers, a friend and board member of the Society of Environmental Journalists. "He was one of a handful of people who could do that successfully."

On Thursday, journalists across the country mourned Carmody's death.

But they also remembered him as a fun-loving fisherman who threw legendary St. Patrick's Day parties, wore cowboy boots, drove a Mustang, loved the Green Bay Packers, kept a messy desk at work and routinely performed acts of kindness.

"Kevin could walk up to anybody and have a conversation," longtime friend Jim Cullen said. "The next thing you knew, they were best friends."

Carmody is survived by his wife, Pat Dockery, and his daughter, Siobhan.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

Carmody "served Austin well," Oppel said, "and we will miss him."

Published by Austin American-Statesman on Mar. 11, 2005.

Memories and Condolences
for Kevin Carmody

Not sure what to say?





166 Entries

It's March 6, 2024. At my job, all day remembering it's coming up on a day to remember. I think of you and I remember. Miss you, my friend.

Sabrina

Friend

March 6, 2024

Was just perusing online and this came up. Kevin, you are missed. Life has gone by too fast. Remembering you brings me back to better times.

Sabrina M Nucciarone

School

October 19, 2022

March is a transitional month and one that brings and links bittersweet memories for me. I thought of you a few weeks ago, when I talked with someone about having gone to Marquette; though you were not mentioned in that conversation, you were not far away in my mind as I spoke. Funny how time goes by but thankfully the memories stay where they are. P.S. I didn't get the Times gig but I was happy one or two of the departments did respond. I considered that a plus.

Sabrina

Friend

March 4, 2021

Now and then I just drop by. You popped into my head. Must be that time of year. You never know what impact you have on other people. I know how much you had on me. Pop in any time, brother. It's sad, but the memories are so damn good. -- Mac.

Bryan McKenzie

Friend

March 3, 2021

As I looked at a green hat I wore to your home for the infamous St. Patrick's Day parties, I thought of you. Such a gentleman you were.

Pam Stafford

November 28, 2019

Yes, the collective is remembering you. You are synonymous with my memories of Marquette, me the California fish out of water. I memorialized you in five very recent applications I made to the "new" Los Angeles Times. It was my way of referencing you, who made such an impact on so many. Do you think they would consider someone who became a small-town writer? God, I hope so. I want to go home.

Sabrina

August 24, 2018

Hey, buddy. Thinking of you today. Good thoughts and good memories. Thanks for dropping by my brain. Mac.

Bryan

August 23, 2018

A candle burning brightly for one of the dearest and kindest people I have ever known in my entire life. From being rescued from myself to the St Patty's house parties, from The Society for the Preservation of the Plastic Pink Flamingo to being welcomed to stay with him and Pat at The Menger after the wedding and The Galvez after an Enterprise reunion, Kevin was and will forever be one of the best parts of my life. After so many years I can barely conceive the idea of a world without you in it somewhere, but on the flip side of that coin, you are everywhere as evidenced by the depth of the writings I read on pages upon pages of your guest book. I shall never forget you, Sir Kevin. Every lightning bolt I see will always keep you alive in my heart and in my mind. Good Chi, dear friend.

Sherri Cheng

February 22, 2015

Kevin did love him some Rambo!

February 20, 2015

I thought of you about a month ago, and I see that there is a collective wave of thought in remembering you; I reread many of the notes people have left and it is not surprising to me the impact you made on our lives. We will not forget you.

Sabrina

May 20, 2014

You wouldn't believe the business you loved. Peace, roomie. You are still missed after all of these years. Hope your family is doing well. -- Mac

May 20, 2014

Kevin impacted me deeply in my life. It's hard to think about him, but it's getting easier.

Mike

May 19, 2014

Think about him all the time. Some days I swear I see him in his favorite corner of the news room. Hard to believe it's been so long.

Mac

April 6, 2012

Just checking in to this site to remember Kevin, who is never far from my thoughts.

Dan Wallach

April 5, 2012

Angels walk among us...and Kevin, I know you are one of them. When we seek your wisdom and comfort, you are there. I pray for Pat and Siobhan, and for you my friend, as you still help guide us through the path of reporting the stories of our lives. The love and gift you had for reporting what is right remains strong. Thanks for listening...and answering...

Sabrina Nucciarone

March 30, 2011

Hey Kevin...this is one you'd like. I've known of it for awhile; sorry it has taken me this long to loop you in. The Edge of U2 is trying to develop a mountaintop in Malibu...the specs on the project are staggering and would compromise the fragility of the natural landscape and beauty of the scenery. Any chance you can help nix it from where you are? I am using the project as an example for my students how to write a research paper. Real world application in the classroom. Pretty cool, huh? You are still in the back of my mind when I have trouble getting print to paper. What would Kevin think? Just like the help you gave me at MU, oh those 30-some years ago, you open the door and through the threshold I walk. As always, thank you.

Sabrina

March 1, 2010

I havent been here in a while kevin.
Just wanted to say thanks for getting me into writing. Thanks for being a mentor to a kid who needed something to be good at. If it was not for you bud, I would not be about to graduate college and go off into the field. You got me into the romance of being a journalist. I hope you're proud man. I still have both your belt buckles.

Ben H

January 28, 2010

It's nigh onto Christmas and the newsroom pace has only picked up as the budget cuts and layoffs and furloughs have crippled this business we once loved.

It will soon be five years, bro, but it seems both longer and shorter, forever and just yesterday.

I hope you're at peace. I hope you've found happiness that lasts longer than 10 minutes or two days. Most of all, I just hope.

See you out there, somewhere, someday. Slante,

Mac

Mac

December 16, 2009

Hey Kev, I guess this book is winding down. Been thinking 'bout ya, the newsroom arguments, the lawsuit that you helped me through, the party in San Antonio and keeping an eye on your mom and being pressed into wedding-party service, and those weekends in Manassas with you and Pat, tuna steaks, Guinness and Jameson.

Sometimes, when I'm updating the website at 6:30 a.m., I swear I see you on the balcony at The Progress, looking over my shoulder. You're always welcome.

One other thing, bro, I think I understand.

Peace, Kevin.

Bryan McKenzie

April 1, 2009

Without writing, life itself stands on the precipice of freedom. To write is to live. Your lifeforce is with us when we struggle through a word, a phrase, a sentence to make it just right. As a person of substance and one of the few redeeming factors of my five semesters at Marquette, thanks for your continuing guidance. Ring out Ahoya.

Sabrina

January 17, 2009

I've been thinking 'bout you, buddy, how you would handle this industry melt-down we're in. I miss talking with you face-to-face. I miss knowing you were out there with that sense of outrage, trying to keep things fair and on the level.

I just plain miss you.

I hope you're at peace. I'm thinking of you, most fondly --

Mac

Bryan McKenzie

December 11, 2008

Hey old roomie, Just finishing a Guiness and listening to that old tune "Waltzing Matilda" and "And the Band Played Waltzing Matilda." I miss you, Rooms. I hope you're happier, but I sure do miss you.

Slante

Bryan McKenzie

March 17, 2008

Kevin and the circle of friends around the globe,
It is almost Thanksgiving. It has been an unusual year and one that has gone by very fast. I just wanted you to know I am thinking of you and wish you well on your journey. I have a writing project and need to "hear" your encouragement. Sure would be nice to go out to the old Marquette bars (the 'Lanche) and get a beer and shoot some pool, just to relax a bit. Just like the old days. To the students that are there now, we are old. Ha Ha!
Just letting you know you are remembered. Sabrina

Sabrina

November 17, 2007

We have just finished screening contest entries at SEJ's headquarters and, because we have a category named for Kevin, it felt like he was here. His name resounded from every entry form, in cover letters, in data files. Then I saw Kevin's membership file on top of a small stack of files marked "Deceased" and I was ripped from my fragile communion with him.

It's not that we forget he is gone. But sometimes a piece of me still denies it. And then the reality of his death comes flooding back.

Coping with loss is vulnerable humanity in its worst pain -- and beautiful, because it shows how deeply connected we are.

Chris Rigel

May 17, 2007

I've just read Jim Rogers' recent entry and it is so lovely and what a tribute to all of us, Kevin's friends and loved ones, who have known the loneliness of loss. Kevin has brought strength to us all and I feel fortunate that for all the aloneness that rolls out like a red carpet in my life, I can still ask myself, "what would Kevin think." When I sit down at my computer, begin to formulate from my notes a story about something I have no expertise, I recall the encouragement that always existed in Kevin's voice. His voice *still* has the lilt of a good friend and the confidence of a seasoned journalist--even in college days. A person of substance and integrity. Thanks for remaining with us to help guide us through...:) Sabrina

Sabrina Nucciarone

May 15, 2007

Well said Jim. I always threatened to give Kevin a ride on my motorcycle and he always threatened to take me up on the deal. Well, I'll be riding through the Blue Ridge with the footpegs down if you'd like to join me, Kevin. You'd be welcome.

Bryan McKenzie

May 15, 2007

It's been more than two years since I lost my dear friend. One would think the pain of that loss would have subsided by now. It has not. Indeed, not a single day has passed in which I have not thought of my friend. Even now I am stunned by the loss.

I find myself alone withouth my friend. Even so, I have learned something from the experience. Something valuable.

Indeed, loneliness may be the harshest of all the things humans perceive to be real. It can be insidious and overwhelming. It can numb the mind and crush the spirit. But it can also serve to emotionally strengthen us -- if we choose to let it. Most of us have been alone at some time in our lives. And those of us who have never been alone may have, in fact, been lonely even though we were surrounded by others.

In truth, our loneliness is a reflection of our deeper passion for life. It is our soul whispering to the heart. It is the heart yearning to sing life’s own song.

We need not revel in our loneliness, but neither should we despise the solitude it brings. For therein is a gift and a treasure -- a moment of sweet silence given to us so that we may inventory life’s blessings.

Jim Rogers

May 14, 2007

Although I only had the pleasure of working with Kevin for a short time at the Beaumont Enterprise, he made a lasting impression as a smart, funny and confident person. I am sorry that he's no longer with us, but happy that he was with us ... once.

Lisa Cady Newell

January 16, 2007

Patrick Carmody

March 26, 2006

Dearest Pat and Siobhan,

We were deeply saddened today upon hearing of the tragic loss of Kevin. We knew him as a young man and always considered him to be one of the finest people we have known.

We have not had the pleasure of meeting you, but know that if Kevin chose you, you both must be very special. Our very deepest sympathy to you.

Mary & Tom Bruders

March 23, 2006

Kevin was my friend since we were in high school. Through the years we lost touch and then met again a few times....and it was post Saint Patty's Day that had me thinking of him this year and wondering what he was up to. My search broke my heart, for you Pat, and for Siobhan (I remember when he sent me the article about your adoption and how much he loved you)....and for all of us who will not know his thoughtfulness, his smiles and his integrity on this earth...until we meet again, Kevin, may God hold you in the palm of His Hand.

Mary Baxa

March 22, 2006

It's been a year, boss. I still miss you. Just knowing you were out there kicking and taking down made this business a good thing. I wish you had called. I wish we had talked. I wish things turned out different.

Bryan McKenzie

March 9, 2006

I knew Kevin back in High School and his Wedgewood Park days (he and his mom lived adjacent to this small Milwaukee park). I don't remember many details from those days in the early '70's but I do remember this about Kevin - he was incredibly dedicated in whatever he pursued and his drive could not be corrupted (as much as we tried :).



I'm shocked at his passing but not surprised at the legacy of positive social interaction and good friends he left behind. God bless Kevin and his family.

John Mishefske

December 30, 2005

Kevin, you're still gone and I still can't believe it. All those arguments in the newsroom, all those evenings sharing a little Jameson (sip, don't down)and renting movies. Just relax and chill after days and nights of 16-hour, 20-hour kick-butt journalism days.

My best to Pat and Sihobahn, whose name I probably seriously screwed up.

Miss you roommate. Just knowing you were out there committing news made me feel good.

bryan mckenzie

August 18, 2005

A sad loss & condolences to his family. He will be remembered.

Dr. Maga Mumu

August 17, 2005

I worked with Kevin at the Marquette Tribune. He was a year ahead of me. Even then you could tell he was a hard-boiled newspaper guy -- the best kind.

Dennis Shelton

August 17, 2005

I just learned of Kevin's death last night. Appropriately enough, it was while swilling a beer with another ex-Bmt Enterpriser, Dave Plesa. The old 1980s "Beaumont crowd" -- as it is commonly referred to in this guest book -- was a particularly tight-knit group. Kevin was our social chairman, the connective tissue between us. He leaves a void.

pete radowick

August 7, 2005

Kevin and I were roommates our freshman year at Marquette Univ. We met in Aug of 1976. Thanks to some luck, we won a lottery and scored a set of bunk beds for our room-- McCormick Hall's #1110 (the bunk beds were cool, because Kevin was able to get a chair from home and suddenly our dorm room (prison cell)had a little class! For the record, Kevin was on the top bunk, I stayed on the bottom)!



I was the out-of-towner from New York--and living in a strange city at the age of 18 can be difficult at times, especially for an introverted kid like myself. But Kevin would go out of his way to make you feel at home (he even brought me out to his old neighborhood for a much overdue haircut at his regular barber). I remember having a wonderful dinner at his mom's house that night.



We took a lot of journalism classes together that year. Even then you could tell that reporting was in his blood. He really worked hard and he loved to write. I remember one night waking up at 2AM and there was Kevin banging away on the electric typewriter.



We went our separate ways after that freshman year, but I am very saddened by his loss. I send my prayers and thoughts to Kevin's wife, daughter and the rest of his friends and family.



Rest in Peace, Kevin Patrick.



Gregg Hartnett

MU, Journalism '80

Eastchester, NY

Gregg Hartnett

August 3, 2005

I too learned of Kevin's death from the Marquette alumni magazine. He was one of my first editors at the student newspaper -- smart, tenacious and patient with someone learning the ropes. We were never close and I lost track of him after he graduated. But I always admired and looked up to him. I am so sorry for your loss.

Len LaCara

August 2, 2005

I, too, learned only recently from the Marquette Alumni Magazine that Kevin had passed away. The news saddens me, and my heart goes out to his family. Although Kevin and I were classmates in J-school at Marquette in the late 1970s, we traveled in different circles--he in newspapers, and I in broadcast news. But after nearly 20 years, we finally came together on a topic of common interest at the Society of Environmental Journalists' annual conference in Portland. He and I had a great chat on one of the bus tours of the Willamette Valley and renewed memories of late nights at the Trib, socializing at the 'Lanche or The Gym, and camping out on the quad for basketball tickets. Kevin's environmental reporting was excellent--technically sound and very accessible. Kevin was genuinely interested in people, and he will be sorely missed.

John Clemens

August 2, 2005

to Kevin's family,

It has been a lifetime ago when we were all hungry reporters in the bowels of southeast Texas, but they were also the greatest times because we were hungry, eager and full of promise.

It was a privilege to have known and worked side-by-side with Kevin. I think he would be laughing now if he knew I am a flak for the California Environmental Protection Agency.

Regards,

Liz Kanter

Liz Kanter

August 1, 2005

Though I did/do not plan on going to the 25 year Marquette alumni reunion, I wondered if Kevin and Pat and family would make an appearance...

When I received my copy of the Marquette alumni magazine yesterday (opening day of the reunion), as I always do, I first look at the In Memoriam page. Time stopped as Kevin's name jumped off the page. For those who attend the 25 year alumni reunion this year and those that knew Kevin, they too, will be as devastated.

Kevin is just one of those people in my memory I always remember knowing at Marquette...I don't even remember how we met--but I do remember him working tirelessly on the Marquette Tribune. His influence on most if not all the writing I have ever done over the years, no matter the type, the assignment or perceived quality expected, would not be met in my mind with "what would my professors think of this" rather, "what would Kevin think of this."

Though Kevin has been off and on my mind, especially as I have come across college-day photos, it has been many years since I have seen him. I had the pleasure of meeting Pat at an MU reunion (10th or 15th)--specifically to meet, raise a glass, and talk old times.

Kevin leaves an indelible impact...each person he met is part of his inner circle which over his years and associations spans the globe.

The heartfelt loss is very difficult to convey, but the gain is easy. He championed the spirit of communicating intelligently without challenging intellect; for a less-seasoned but no less resourceful or creative writer, that challenge to me is to maintain integrity, even at deadline. Whether writing research papers in grad school or writing features for a local weekly paper, I know my writing is better because I knew Kevin. I know I am a better person because I knew Kevin. Even in darkness the dimmest of light shines to show the way. And that is what Kevin did for all of us. I miss you, my friend.

With love and the blessing of peace beknownst, I wish Pat and Siobhan all the best through this difficult time.

Sabrina Nucciarone

July 30, 2005

Just learning now of Kevin's passing. He was such a great help to me when I was a rookie on the environmental beat at The Times of Northwest Indiana, even though I was at the competition. Always looked up to him - still do. My sympathies to his family and journalism family as well.

Lauri Harvey

June 14, 2005

Kevin and I were grade school buddies at St. Gregory The Great parish in Milwaukee, WI. We hung out together throughout grade school, high school and college. Kevin sold me his used 10-speed bike when we were kids. I was lucky enough to have met his lovely wife Pat a couple of times when Kevin would return home to the Milwaukee area for family business. Kevin will be missed by all of the guys & gals from the old Wedgewood Park neighborhood. May God rest his soul.

Kurt Osterkorn

June 13, 2005

A sad loss & condolences to his family. He will be remembered.

Ellen Rendulich

June 9, 2005

I really didn't know Kevin Carmody at all, and only found out about his passing today. But he assigned and edited the first story I ever wrote for publication, for The Marquette Tribune. It was a lousy story and difficult to write, and made me wonder if I really wanted to do this sort of work. He told me that I did OK and to persevere. And so I did.

Stephen Downes

June 3, 2005

I just barely knew him but as a member of SEJ I know what he did for this organization. I admired his commitment. I'm deeply sad about his death.



Olivier Milhomme

Olivier Milhomme

April 12, 2005

Winter comes.

Its harsh howl

Is upon my face.

Its cold breath splits

Through me like an icy axe.



Yet, I see your smile

In the frigid grey sky.

I hear your voice

In lullaby of treetops

Bending in the wind.



And though the frost

Of the winter night

Chills me to the very bone,

I am warm in the knowledge

That you are there,

That you are real.



For it is the reality of you

That makes the surreal winter seem warm,

That bids my heart to be patient,

Knowing that winter is but the gateway to spring.



Come spring,

I again shall be one with my mountain,

In forest glade and babbling brook.

Come spring,

All that shall be here

To remind me of winter

Is the crystal clear water

That rushes to the longing fields

Of the valley below.



Green pastures

And timber standing tall

Shall I see.

Again.

Come spring.



I can wait.

I have always waited.

And the waiting is always rewarded.

It is not forever.



Come spring

I shall see you

Again.

And again.

Jim Rogers

April 8, 2005

I've known Kevin for nearly 20 years now. I worked as environment program director at the Scientists' Institute for Public Information in New York City in the mid-80s when I first got phone calls from a then ambitious and enterprising young environmental reporter working for the newspaper in Beaumont, Tex.



Kevin called SIPI many times looking for scientists to be sources for whatever story he was working on. I began to refer to him as this quintessential environmental reporter -- the guy I would point out to others as an example of how environmental journalism can be done right.



Then, in the late 80s I finally met Kevin and witnessed firsthand his quiet leadership abilities and unsurpassed integrity as he and numerous other leading environmental reporters created the Society of Environmental Journalists.



I've been involved with SEJ from its beginning and currently serve as its conference manager. In a group blessed with leaders bursting with integrity, Kevin still stood out.



He was a founding board member and remained on the board, being re-elected several times, until his death.



He was also the only SEJ member to twice serve as the group's annual conference chair, and was in the midst of organizing SEJ's 15th annual conference in Austin later this year when he died.



Kevin, more than anyone, embodied the group's heart and soul. His presence will never be replaced at SEJ.



SEJ will still come to Austin, of course, but it just won't be the same without Kevin. We will find many ways to honor and remember him in the coming weeks and months, including memorials at the conference, but for right now there's just this huge hole in our hearts.



I have so many fond memories of Kevin and I look forward to sharing them with y'all in the future. It's just too hard right now.



I'd just like to say that my love and deepest condolences go out to his wife, Pat, and daughter, Siobhan. I wish we could find some way to help ease their pain in this time of great suffering.

Jay Letto

March 28, 2005

As a press officer with U.S. EPA in Chicago I spoke with Kevin at least once a week for several years when he was the environment writer at the Daily Southtown. I always found him to be an enterprising, diligent and fair reporter. Often he was the only reporter in the Chicago area to understand and follow an important environmental story. He was also a great guy with whom to share a drink and a chat. My colleagues and I were very sad to learn of his death. Our condolences to Pat and Siobhan.

Slan anois a chara agus beannachtai,

Phillippa Cannon

Phillippa Cannon

March 21, 2005

My deepest prayers and sympathy are with Pat, Siobahn and the rest of Kevin's family, as well as all of his dear friends who loved him as a brother. I only hope he knew how loved he is, and how many lives he affected through his great, kind spirit and sharp mind. I wish his soul the great peace it deserves.

Although I did not know Kevin as well as I wished I could have, we met through his former colleague, Shannon Tompkins who worked with Kevin at the Beaumont Enterprise, while I was Publisher & Editor of Texas Parks & Wildlife magazine.

I became attuned to Kevin's incisive grasp of environmental issues, and called upon him as a contributor when I was formulating a special series on water issues in Texas, and to my delight, not only did his editor agree to allow Kevin to write for this state-owned magazine -- but Kevin so well knew the delicate line such a state-owned publication must tread that he danced between the lines in as perfect balance as a tightrope walker. His grasp of fact and obscure water law was beyond my realm of knowledge, and I thought of Kevin as my mentor and educator and not merely a contributor to that magazine.

When I left the state job to launch Lone Star Outdoor News, Kevin was among the first to call, chat, give "atta-boys" and subscribe.

I offered to put him on the editorial comp list, but Kevin insisted on buying a subscription. That, alone, tells you what kind of man Kevin is.

I use "is" on purpose. He lives, always, in the hearts and minds of all of us who were touched by his great gift, his great passion.

Kevin still teaches me through his writings, mentors me through our past exchanges and serves as a goal for me to strive to achieve.

My life is enriched by knowing this great man. What I learned from him will be burned into my heart always, and becomes part of my essence as a human, as a journalist and mostly, as a wild creature of a beloved natural world -- the world he loved so passionately.

Susan L. Ebert

March 18, 2005

Kevin made a difference. Bless him.

Tom Henry

March 18, 2005

So, I'm not the only one to know the passion of Kevin Carmody. My goodness, without Kevin, I would not be the journalist I am today. He was news editor at the Marquette Tribune, and I was his student government reporter. He taught me more than any professor ever did about digging for the story, working sources and fine-tuning my copy. It was Kevin's passion that inspired mine. And to this today, those who know me will attest that I'm nothing, if not passionate about the work I do. And though it's not reporting, trust me when I say that applying passion to newspaper design goes a long way toward a winning newspaper and winning over readers. Kevin, your death is a tremendous loss. I hope you know that your legacy lives on. I pray your family takes comfort in that.

Sincerely,

Ray Verespej

March 18, 2005

Kevin was my mentor and my fishing buddy. I used to send him my writing so he could proof read it and help me.

I remember him coming down to Chicago and taking me fishing on the river. We didnt catch any thing but we had fun! Then of course he failed catch his plane back to Austin and he got to stay another day.

I cant believe it. It was so sudden, it still hasnt registed.

Ben Hostetler

March 18, 2005

Although I've not kept in touch with Kevin, I met him early on in SEJ's existence. He was a super organizer, direct and forthright, epitomizing Journalism at its best. As I contemplated leaving a university research writing position and returning to reporting, Kevin encouraged me to focus on science writing. I've done so, catching up with Kevin's work occasionally. Journalism has lost a leader, and all who knew him, a friend.

Nancy Riggs

March 18, 2005

I got to know Kevin when he was at the Southtown in Chicago and I was the Director of a local environmental advocacy group. I learned very quickly that he wasn't just good at his job - he was, indeed, the very best there was. I consider myself lucky to have gotten to know him. Even more important, though, for all of us here in the Windy City who share what was his passion for protecting the environment, it was literally a godsend to have had him here reporting on issues for as long as we did.



His passing is a shock and my heart goes out to his friends and family in this time of grief; but I hope it gives them some comfort to know that there are so many of us who loved and respected him.

Joanna Hoelscher

March 16, 2005

On this, the eve of St. Patrick's Day, my heart is heavy, knowing that O'Carmody's Pub is no more. Kevin, you were such a spark for so many of your fellow writers; you displayed the kind of dogged determination that made you such an outstanding environmental writer. We might have gotten into the business to make the world a better place, but you still lived that dream. But it is not the professional Kevin I miss today; it is the devilish Kevin -- the one with the twinkle in his eyes and the broad smile. The one who always greeted his friends with a warm grin and consuming hug. We had not been close in the past few years, but Kevin was always....always in my heart. And there he will remain forever. Thoughts, prayers and love go out to his wife and daughter. Living without him will be so hard for them -- as it will be for all of us. Since learning of his death, the song "Vincent" runs through my head because one line reminds me so much of Kevin -- the world was never meant for one as beautiful as you. Love you, dear friend.

Linda Gilchriest

March 16, 2005

Kevin,

The words "my heart will go on and on" played at your services. The sentiments on this page and the rivers of tears you leave behind are proof that it's true. Your heart will go on and on-- in the hearts and souls of the hundreds of lives you touched and in the fond memories that Pat and Siobahn will hold close to their hearts. Thank you for your gifts of integrity, passion, empathy, wisdom and dedication to your profession. I'm devastated that you are no longer with us, but I am proud to have been your friend and colleague. I pray, with all my heart, that you have found peace. God speed, Kevin.

Amy Crossette

March 15, 2005

When our grassroots organization in Bastrop and Lee counties battling Alcoa drew the reporting skill of Kevin Carmody, his remarkable talent became immediately apparent. We just didn't know how lucky we were. His reporting was incredibly accurate and fair, and as a group of Davids battling Goliath, we felt acknowledged. He really made a difference for us. I never met Kevin, but the emotion expressed by these writers speaks volumes to his character. My deepest sympathy to his family and friends.

Sandy Murphree

March 15, 2005

Our family has been friends with Pat for many, many years and through that friendship Kevin became part of our family too. We loved Kevin as we do Pat and Siobhan and he will be missed. All our love-Jason, Lisa, and Kaitlyn

Lisa Youngblood

March 15, 2005

Many years have passed since Kevin and I talked, shared information about activities around the Beaumont courthouses, and passed around chilled beer bottles. When you talked to Kevin it was hard not to share in his enthusiasm and passion for whatever project he was working on. And when you left the newsroom, more often than not he was still at his desk typing on the computer, a phone attached to his ear. Now I know those days at the Beaumont Enterprise comprised a era of incredible growth and a time that would become embedded in my memory forever. We were all friends who argued and debated, shared cold beers and shoulders to cry on, and helped one another home when we'd had too much to drink. We cared about one another and now one of us is gone. We'll miss your vibrant spirit Kevin, your passion for investigative reporting and the welcoming spirit in which you hosted parties and embraced your friends. This St. Patty's Day I'll raise a glass to you. I hope you have found peace.

To Pat and Siobhan - my deepest sympathies to you. I hope the good memories of Kevin provide some comfort in the days ahead.

Best regards,

Pam Alloway-Mueller

Beaumont Enterprise vet (1984-1988)

Pam Alloway-Mueller

March 15, 2005

My deepest sympathy to Kevin's family and colleagues. I worked with Kevin only briefly before leaving Austin, but I remember he had a good sense of humor and was easygoing. He will be missed.

Lauren (Mather) Olsen

March 15, 2005

I hadn't been touch with Kevin for a very long time and for that I am sorry. I kept up with his work and was impressed with his passion and dedication to journalism. He will always be missed by those who knew him and share his love of journalism.

Marice Richter

March 15, 2005

I am so, so sad to lose my friend and former colleague -- and the man who taught me how not to catch salmon in a Chicago reservoir. I am even more sorry for all the budding reporters who will miss out on his sage advice, the model of tenacity he presented to those just learning the craft. And to those would-be friends who will never experience the kindness of his gentle soul. My heart goes out to you, Pat and Siobhan.

Amy Hetzner

March 15, 2005

Kevin and I had a number of useful chats when he was still in Chicago, and I missed him when he left. I admired his spunk in pursuing the truly important stories of Chicago's South Side and south suburbs. When he was writing about issues like Waste Management's landfills in the Calumet region, I knew he had read the Lake Calumet chapter in my book, "Deeper Shades of Green," not because he told me so but because of the very precise and detailed questions he asked. Kevin was relentless and thorough. One day long ago, in the early days of SEJ, he called to ask whether I would be interested in succeeding him to the editorship of SEJournal. I was, but my employers were not so keen on the idea, and Kevin let me know not only how disappointed he was, but how "benighted" he thought my superiors were. He really wanted me to do it, and I sensed a real passion behind his logic. That was the real Kevin: doggedly committed not only to his reporting duties, but to making good things happen for SEJ in whatever way he could bring them about, and passionately disappointed if it didn't work. He was a real worker in the vineyards, putting a smaller daily on the map of environmental reporting in competition with large metropolitan dailies. He made his writing matter.

James Schwab

March 15, 2005

Of the joyous moments, the most intense moments, the proudest moments of my 20-year newspaper career, a good number occurred during projects involving Kevin Patrick Carmody. He was a city editor’s dream, or sometimes her worst nightmare, relentlessly pursuing the integral fact, the last detail, whether 30 minutes or 30 seconds before deadline. Our next edition was always the richer for it. The passion for his work, the breathless enthusiasm, the clamoring for the deeper revelation ... yes, that was Kevin at his best. I will miss the smile and the mischievous gleam in his eye that told me he was onto something big. I was his editor, and I was his friend, and will always remain so. Outside the newsroom, I’ll be ever grateful to him for making the Enterprise reunion in Galveston happen. For opening O’Carmody’s Pub every St. Patrick’s Day. For including us in that beautiful wedding in St. Fernando Cathedral. For a summer evening many years ago when, as perfect hosts, he and Pat stood with Rush and me on the deck of their D.C.-area home, reminiscing about times past and sharing thoughts about the world as we gazed upon a perfect sunset. And for so many other fond memories Rush and I hold in our hearts. Godspeed, dear friend. And loving thoughts and warm embraces to Pat and Siobhan.

Louise Wood, Beaumont Enterprise city editor, 1976-1985

Louise Wood

March 15, 2005

My gentle spirit friend, I knew you when you were in the rough...perfecting your trade...reaching for your path...determined, confused, questioning, prying...something was out there and it was bad and it was killing people and would continue to do so. Someone had to pay attention, take notice, take action, do something...you did! I sensed your deeper self, your introspection, insecurity, uncertainess, compassion, longing, passion, caring, understanding of the human spirit. Life will be dimmer this St. Patty's Day...O'Carmody's Pub lives in the cobwebs of our minds...we loved you Kevin...we really loved you!

Lolita Ramos

March 15, 2005

I met Kevin when I served on the Board of SEJ. He was a kind, thoughtful man who will be sorely missed.

Brenda Box

March 15, 2005

May the road rise to meet you.

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face.

May the rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again,

May God hold you in the hollow of His hand



Kevin my friend I shall miss you terribly. I feel greatly diminished by your passing. I remember fondly the final O'Carmody's St. Pat's festivities in Beaumont, Although my forebears come from an island in the Mediterranean, being Irish for just one day in your presence brought me much joy. Pat, you and your daughter are in my thoughts and prayers.

Julian Galiano

March 15, 2005

I am really sorry to know about Kevin's passing. I knew him at Pittsburgh SEJ's Conference and we make works for the Austin SEJ's Conference with the Mexican

Network of Environmental Journalists. In name of all the mexican environmental journalist, our deepest condolences to his family.

Miguel Angel de Alba

Lead Mexican Network of Environmental Journalists

Leon, Gto., Mexico

Miguel Angel de Alba González

March 14, 2005

I was Kevin's high school journalism teacher in Milwaukee. He just came to see me six weeks ago and we had a great conversation. he was a great person. We had agreed we keep in touch. The world will be a lesser place without him. We are all diminished for the loss.

tim keane

March 14, 2005

I was so sorry to hear about Kevin. We worked together for about 2 years. He was a great reporter and more importantly, he was an extremely kind and decent human being. I will always remember him as one of the kindest people I have ever met. My condolences to his family, friends and colleagues.

JL Coffey

March 14, 2005

I had the pleasure and joy working with Kevin at the Beaumont Enterprise. I'll never forget his tireless work ethic. I'll always remember how fun it was to be around him away from the office.

Kevin had a passion for this business that's very rarely seen.

To Kevin's family, my love and sympathy go out to you.

God Bless You Kevin. Like Dan Wallach said, give my best to Tim Halley when you see him.

Kenton Brooks

March 14, 2005

I knew Kevin only through his very fine work and the internet. We exchanged ideas and comments many times during his stay at the AAS. I thoroughly those interactions. I offer the following as a memorial and tribute.



Spring Flowers



(Tulips, Hyacinths, Grand Daffodils,and Mini Daffodils)



The Promise of Renewed Life

The Hope of Resurrection



May He Rest in Peace

William Roberts

March 14, 2005

every one, every thing mattered to kevin. we worked together at the southtown, where i was endlessly amazed by his boundless enthusiasm for almost any subject. (and occasionally overwhelmed by his attention to detail!) he saw the best in people but still worked his butt off to let us all know when he saw something wrong, like a crooked land deal or a deadly workplace. from what i witnessed, i can say he was a good son, a good friend, a good colleague, a good husband, and a good father. i can think of no higher compliments.

m.l. elrick

March 14, 2005

I knew Kevin at the Daily Southtown in suburban Chicago, where his passion and knowledge inspired all of us. He was always fully engaged, no matter what he was working on, but he became even more alive when talking about or showing pictures of his beautiful daughter. My heart goes out to you, Pat and Siobhan.

Karen Mellen

March 14, 2005

It wasn't the conversations I had with Kevin during the year I spent sitting next to him at the American-Statesman that showed me the kind of reporter he was. It was the time I spent eavesdropping on the serious, no-nonsense conversations Kevin had with his sources. More often than not, it was Kevin doing much of the explaining in those interviews. The man knew his stuff in and out, the way a real pro should. Kevin tempered his passion for our craft with a level of kindness and thoughfulness that is rare in newsrooms. He'll be missed.



2Corinthians 4:8

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

Jason Spencer

March 14, 2005

Kevin was a good man, and I miss having him in the world with me.

Christopher Cook

March 14, 2005

Like everyone else, I'm struggling to make sense of all this with Kevin. What is clear to me is that he had an incredibly positive impact on many people and on our profession. My last conversation with him was about Barton Springs, a very difficult and controversial investigative project that he did so well. I recall the cigars and whiskey. Most importantly, I recall his passion for environmental journalism and his warmth to fellow journalists. I believe he bestowed those two traits on SEJ. You see it in everything the organization does. Kevin left a wonderful legacy, but he left it way to early.

Peter Lord

March 14, 2005

Kevin was an excellent reporter, husband, father and friend. I remember how happy he was when he and Pat brought home Siobhan. It was an honor to work with him at The Daily Southtown, and he will truly be missed. My deepest sympathy to Pat and Siobhan.

Deborah Snow Humiston

March 14, 2005

Kevin Carmody was one of the classiest reporters I've ever known. I remember him well in a three-piece suit working at the Potomac News' ugly little Manassas bureau. He was beautifully spoken, elegant and very helpful to a new editor. He listened to my gripes about the job and the management with empathy. And he always knew JUST when to roll his eyes or secretly smirk back at me during the far too numerous meetings we'd have to have with the ME.



Kevin, you were an Irish prince. My heartfelt wishes go out to Pat and Siobhan.

Robin (Tunnicliff) Reid

March 14, 2005

I am truly saddened by Kevin's passing. As one whose clients were often on the sharp end of his pen, he was always fair and willing to listen. I will cherish the times I would pass through Austin and always find a willing reporter to sit down with me, have a quick lunch or cup of coffee and hear what I had going on. I know this is especially hard for his SEJ colleagues. As a founding member, he was so committed to SEJ and its cause. I was proud to share time at the past three meetings and watch his enthusiasm for the organization -- especially as it was about to come to his backyard in Austin.



Whereever you stood in the debate, Kevin was a great friend and great voice for environmental reporting. I will miss him greatly as I know all of you will too.

Frank Maisano

March 14, 2005

Kevin has, I think, gone ahead to check out life in that next great universe some call Heaven. He will find many of his old friends there. It is nice to know that he's gone ahead to organize things for the rest of us. I always looked forward to the rare times I saw him and look forward to the next time I see him again.

Richard Stewart

Houston Chronicle

(and Beaumont Enterprise vet)

Richard Stewart

March 14, 2005

There are already too few of us in the family of environment writers. To Kevin's wife and daughter, as a member of SEJ, I extend my deepest sympathies.

Corydon Ireland

March 14, 2005

My heartfelt condolences to the family of Kevin Carmody. I got to know Kevin when he was the Environmental reporter for the Daily Southtown in Chicago.



He was one of the finest news reporters I have ever had the pleasure of working with. Not only was his writing accurate, but it was fair and thoughtful. In person he was engaging and inquisitive but never overbearing. That is why he was such a fine reporter and person.



I miss talking to him about issues in Chicago, and now Austin Texas misses him for his outstanding work.

Mark Farina

March 14, 2005

Kevin Carmody is one of the reasons I am in school for journalism with a concentration on environmental studies. He is an inspiration, and although I never met him, I will miss his outstanding work and passion. All I can hope now is that his life will be a testimony to and bring guidance for future reporters.

Naomi Summer King

March 14, 2005

I did not know Kevin well. Mostly our acquaintance was by virtue that we were both environmental reporters for sister papers. However, in one of the few times I talked to him in person we did share past experiences at the Orange Leader, where we had worked at different times. Just within the last two weeks he had talked me into co-hosting a tour for SEJ members of Fort Hood during this September's conference in Austin. He seemed to have a grasp of the big picture in stories and he will be missed. My condolences to his wife and daughter.

Richard Smith

March 14, 2005

I first met Kevin officially when I casually walked into a meeting for the SEJ Journal at Sundance and ended up volunteering to start a book review section at a result. He was an excellent reporter and editor and a generous presence. It's hard to imagine the loss his wife and daughter are experiencing. My heart goes out to them.

Kathy Sagan

March 14, 2005

I will remember Kevin's kindness and enthusiasm. He went out of his way to make me feel welcome when I joined the board of the Society of Environmental Journalists. And ever since, whenever we met up, at meetings or conferences, I remember coming away with a smile. To Pat and Siobahn, my heartfelt condolences on such a devastating loss. Kevin, I will miss you, my friend.

Natalie Pawelski

March 14, 2005

I knew Kevin over 20 years ago, when he was a young reporter for the Beaumont Enterprise. He was a good and honest man of deep convictions. It was always nice to see him, even though we differed considerably in many of our personal viewpoints. He was always good for a lively discussion of his many areas of interest. I do think the world is a colder place without him, and I shall miss him a lot.

Tim Mitchell

March 14, 2005

I met Kevin years ago when he married my dear friend Pat. I was honored to stand in their wedding. While I studied broadcast journalism at the University of Texas with Pat, I witnessed the passion and power of newspaper writing with Kevin. As others have so eloquently written in this guestbook, Kevin cared deeply about the world and about words. For all his awards, I believe he was most proud of his loving family ( and perhaps fishing. )I know he brought joy to Pat and was a doting father to Siobhan. In his memory we must now surround them with love and support.

Beverly White Higgs

March 13, 2005

I worked with Kevin as a copy editor on many of his Statesman stories, and I appreciated his determination to get things right. He was always gracious, never failing to thank me for my pesky questions even when it meant talking to me on his cell phone while trying to have a family vacation in South Padre.



Kevin's mastery of his beat was clear. The man knew his PAHs from his PPBs and helped me understand it, too. He often spent time talking with me about the story behind the story, which was always interesting.



I didn't know about O'Carmody's Pub and his legendary parties. And I didn't know about his own private darkness. I just knew him as one of our best and most dedicated journalists and all around good guy.



He had the respect and admiration of many, as is clear from these notes. He had mine, too.

Lisa Roe

March 13, 2005

Kevin and I worked together in Austin and we kept in touch after I joined the San Antonio Express-News a few months back. I remember talking with him over a meal with other reporters and thinking that if the American-Statesman could get a guy of his caliber on staff, I wanted to be there. He was so clearly a serious and mature journalist committed to something larger and more important than his own professional advancement. I think that's a lonely place to be these days and I only wish I had been a wiser, more aware friend to him.

For myself and those of us at the EN who knew and admired Kevin, deepest sympathies to his family from all of us.

Jena Heath

March 13, 2005

I’ve served with Kevin on the Society of Environmental Journalists' board since 2001. His presence was always mellow and quiet, but I suspect his absence will be deafening. When debates bogged down, a word or two from Kevin brought us back to the point with wisdom, humor and a sense of SEJ’s history and mission.



Kevin always came across as an optimist, a man totally at home in his own skin. Gracious, generous and funny - he smiled at the cynical stuff but even after years of turning over rocks and raking muck, he never seemed to lose faith in peoples' better angels. His equanimity and longevity on the board showed all of us that it’s possible to be superb at your day job and serve as a dedicated board member without showing the slightest sign of burnout. He did all that and still put his beloved Pat and Siobhan before anything else.



He made SEJ proud, he made his editors and colleagues proud and his legacy must make his family proudest of all. He was a sweetheart. I'll miss him terribly. We all will.

Christy George

March 13, 2005

Kevin was a storyteller, I suppose it was the Irish thing. That showed in his journalism and attention to detail. But it was also the thing that made everyone who met him feel as though they were old friends. The last time I saw him we were in a smokey bar listening to a friend’s band, and he regaled me with stories of swimming, fishing, Irishness (of course) and his idea for a book. His passion for every topic shone through. Even though we only saw each other intermittently over the past 20 years, at this time of the year, with St. Paddy’s Day approaching, my thoughts always turned to Kevin and toasts at O’Carmody’s Pub. “May you be in heaven an hour before the Devil knows your dead.”

Andy Coughlan

March 13, 2005

Kevin was my roommate for six years in Charlottesville, a dedicated reporter, a great friend, a kind and gentle heart. Yet he had the soul of an attack dog if he saw something "wrong" being done to the public, whether it be cops or councils or legislatures.

He was my friend and included me in his wedding as a last-minute addition and helped make mine a joy.

He was colleague and reminded whenever I became too "Journalistically convetional." He was a good editor and helped shaped my writing.

I don't know what happened Kev, but when we meet again, I'll make sure Mr. Jameson is with us for the reunion.

Slante

Bryan McKenzie

March 13, 2005

There aren't enough tears and my own words are failing me. So I'll let another Irishman do the talking. I don't think Kevin would mind.

----------------------------

. . . The gunwale's lifting ear--

trusting the gift,

risking gift's undertow --

is unmanned now



but one whole afternoon

it was deep in both our weights.

We sat awkward on the thwarts

taking turns to cast or row



until mackerel shoaled from under

like a conjured retinue

fawning upon our lures.

He had the sprezzatura,



more falconer than fisherman, I'd say,

unhooding a sceptic eye

to greet the mackerel's barred cold,

to pray whatever the cuckoo called.



As he stepped and stooped to the keyboard

he was our jacobite,

he was our young pretender

who marched along the deep



plumed in slow airs and grace notes.

O gannet smacking through scales!

Minnow of light.

Wader of assonance.

-----------------------











To beautiful Pat and the glorious Siobhan, dear ones, know that oceans of love surround you, and our prayers go with you.

Cathleen

March 12, 2005

I served on the SEJ board with Kevin for the last six years and I’m having a hard time imagining our meetings—and our organization—without him. He was more than a rock for SEJ, he was up there on our Mt. Rushmore. He was a founding board member and the only member to serve in an elected board seat for the entire life of the organization—elected by his peers, by my count, at least five times. Which means that when we needed historical perspective or a recollection of long-ago debates and decisions, we almost invariably turned to him, and he almost invariably retrieved what we were looking for from a well-organized back corner of his brain. Kevin was a huge and irreplaceable part of our institutional memory.



But we didn’t just look to Kevin to help us remember SEJ’s past. He was always a huge part of our present and our future. In 1995, when many founding board members had already stepped down, moved on to other things or just plain gotten burned out, Kevin stepped forward to be conference co-chair for the 1996 meeting in St. Louis, the most demanding job that any board member can take on. Then, nine years later, when he was the last man standing from that original board, he did it again—volunteering to be chair of this year’s conference in his adopted hometown of Austin and shaking every tree in town to make it happen. He was determined to make the Austin conference one of our best, and I have no doubt that he would have. Scratch that—I have no doubt that he will have, because his vision and energy will be reflected in everything that goes on there next fall.



Personally, I never got to know Kevin real well. We worked side by side on the board, sometimes agreeing on tough issues, sometimes not, but always in the spirit of cooperation and dedication to the best interests of SEJ; we shared a whiskey after meetings, kicked around whatever town we were meeting in and occasionally even shared a hotel room, but as friendly and spirited as he was, he was also a very private person, not one to easily open up about his own life. Yet somehow he was always an important part not just of the business of the board and SEJ in general but also of its social fabric, that quality of warmth and welcome that has always made SEJ such an exceptional professional community.



Kevin’s dedication and his longevity on the board certainly earned him the right to weigh in on any subject as often and as loudly as he liked, but he never exercised this right, he never injected himself and his thoughts and opinions into the discussion any more than any other member. In fact, he didn’t speak very often at all at meetings. But when he did, what he had to say was always thoughtful and clear-headed, always advanced the discussion and always reflected a wisdom that belied his cowboy boot-wearing, cigar-smoking, whiskey-drinking, sneaking-out-early-to-go-fishing persona. Kevin’s wisdom came from his 20+ years as one of the hardest noses on the beat, and one of the most dedicated and accomplished, from his deep and lasting commitment to SEJ as an organization, a community and a mission, and from his clear understanding of the relationship between the messy world of journalism and the even messier real world that all SEJ members have committed ourselves to report on accurately and without prejudice, but which we all are also part of. Which was important as anything else he brought to the meeting room. It’s a precarious balancing act for all of us, but Kevin pulled it off remarkably well in his own life and for 15 years helped make sure that SEJ did too. And will continue to.



Kevin was also, by the way, the only SEJ board member ever to hit for the cycle, holding at one point or another every office on the board—President, VP for Programs, VP for Membership, Treasurer and Secretary. Which reflects not any personal ambition (because really, who wants to be Secretary or Treasurer?), or even his longevity on the board, so much as his willingness to step up and do whatever was needed of him at the time, and to do it seriously and well. Although not, of course, without a healthy degree of goofiness. I mean, who can take himself too seriously wearing those crazy fishing shirts?



Kevin, I’m gonna dust off my cowboy boots and bring them to the Austin conference next fall—and I might even go out and get myself a big silver belt buckle and a shirt with fish on it and a tweed jacket to wear over it, too—and I’m gonna raise a glass, hit the dance floor at the Broken Spoke and kick it out one last time for you. Your fellow board members, SEJ members and journalists everywhere were lucky to have you as a colleague and a role model. We will miss you tremendously.

Peter Thomson

March 12, 2005

I raise my glass to you, Kevin. O'Carmody's Pub will always be open in my heart.

David Plesa

March 12, 2005

Kevin and I sat next to each other in the Beaumont Enterprise newsroom in the early '80s. He was an open and honest guy and a fun-loving colleague. In his writing on environmental issues, Kevin allowed no barriers to the truth. He was a relentless investigator and tireless chronicler. My heart goes out to his family. Godspeed, Kevin.

Maribeth Jones

March 12, 2005

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