In Memoriam: Kenneth M. Cronin, Jr Buildings Superintendent

Ken Cronin, Brearley’s Buildings Superintendent, passed away on November 23, leaving his beloved wife, Diane, and four children. Many of us also know his son, Ken Jr., who has worked at Brearley during summers and other vacations.

Joining the facilities staff in 2001, Ken loved his work, even when the roof leaked or the boiler shut down. He so enjoyed learning how to use the high-tech systems in 590 and troubleshooting the daily issues that arise on our vertical campus. His can-do spirit and easy manner made him accessible to anyone who needed help at Brearley.

Ken was present first thing in the morning and often late at night. No one enjoyed setting up Field Day more than Kenny. He was also thrilled to include his children in Mountain Day festivities. He loved Brearley.

Any loss of a community member is difficult, and losing Ken reminds us how precious life is and how fortunate we are to have colleagues like him. He will be deeply missed.

Each year, the senior class and their families select a fund purpose that is especially meaningful to the class and supports the core mission of the School. To honor Ken and his extraordinary service to Brearley, the Class of 2022 has established a memorial fund in his name. To learn more information and how to contribute, please visit www.brearley.org/priorities/class-of-2022-fund. —Jane Fried

Faculty and Staff Remembrances of Ken

Kenny was a great person. He was not only my boss but he was also a mentor to me. Kenny believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. He gave me the best advice on how to live a better life and mostly how to be a better person. He has left an indelible mark on my life and I am forever grateful to him. May his soul rest in eternal peace.—Jonathan Delance

He taught me that family was first, to always come to work, complete my duties and go home and enjoy my family— that’s where I would truly find happiness.—Wilfredo Moreira

In the short time that I knew Mr. Kenny he was good to me. I wish I had more time with him. I will always be thankful for the opportunity that he gave me.—Victor Merced

I will always remember Kenny’s beautiful cerulean eyes, his hearty laugh and his willingness to tackle any project—large or small.—Tanner Smythson

I thank God for having the privilege of knowing Kenny would always have encouraging words when I most needed them. You are blessed by God.—Juana Moreno

Kenny was more than my boss; I would say he was my brother. I worked with him over 20 years. I would never say no to any assignment because he would never say no to me. You will always be remembered.—Luis Atanacio

Kenneth M. Cronin, Jr.

Walking into the building and seeing your black truck out front. Hearing you say, “Have you had your coffee? Let’s have our morning chat.” Talking about work and family and how to become better people because no one is perfect. But always remembering to treat each other with respect. Your dream team is what we would call ourselves and you would laugh. Thank you for everything, Mr. Cronin. Rest in peace.—Jennifer Guzman

Kenny was not only my boss, he treated me like a family member. Empathetic with everyone, always willing to understand us. Nice person and excellent boss who went above and beyond for his workers. Never will forget what you taught us. You always value your workers as a person, not a color.—Sonia Gonzalez

He would always understand me, not as a worker but as a friend. I worked with Kenny before coming to Brearley—for 27 years to be exact—and admired his strong spirit and kindness. He always gave me support when I thought to give up.—Efren Cruz

Mornings will never be the same . . . Kenny was a great man, loved by all and hated by none. He made sure everyone was treated equally and respectfully. No one had a better sense of humor than Kenny. I would wake up in the morning knowing that when I got to work Kenny would have me laughing about something that happened the day before, whether it was true or not. This man was truly blessed by God and had the biggest heart.—Joshua Elsaieh

When I think of Kenny, I picture him in the Field House playing volleyball. When we had our faculty/staff matches against the NightingaleBamford School, Kennywasindispensable.When he was in the back row, he could send a torpedo over that net, and when he played in the front, he was like a wall blocking any attempted spikes from the other side.No matter win or lose, Kenny was a generous teammate, always doling out compliments (and consolations) for our successes (and losses!).—Jim McDonald

I met Kenny in 2019 at Brearley. I was working as a security officer at that time. I walked up to Kenny and told him I was interested in being a porter at Brearley. I didn’t have the job experience, but Kenny gave me the opportunity and said, “We will train you.” He helped me learn about the job quickly, and here I am today. He gave me the opportunity and I appreciate him so much. He’s loving, caring and a good listener. Thank you for everything. Rest in peace.—Damilola Thompson Kenny’s dedication to Brearley was always evident. Even when he was under intense pressure, he always remained calm and kept going. I admired how he respected and acknowledged his colleagues in Facilities, and they in turn had immense respect for him. I always enjoyed discussing current events with Kenny, even though we greatly disagreed. He always treated me and my perspective respectfully, and I in turn did the same for him. He is extremely missed.—Keith Driscoll

In the spring one time outside of 590, the facilities team and Ken gathered to talk about how their days were going. I didn’t know Ken much, but I felt his energy and knew his ability to draw anyone into his orbit—a sort of charm. As I walked by them, I stopped and told Ken, “I saw a couple of photos of you in the archives. You were performing on stage. And you looked decked out.” Everyone looked at him in confusion, and he chuckled, “Yeah, that was me.”—Kris Santos

When I first started at Brearley, I thought Ken was mean because I always saw him with a serious face. Eventually, he found out (teehee) and made it his business to approach me with so much joy and a huge smile under his mask. From then on, it was always “Good morning” greetings and “Be right there” emails if I needed anything. He was so responsive, friendly and constantly doing something to help our school.—Aysha Maisonet

Kenny was the superintendent at the New York Academy of Art until the spring of 2001, so he was one of the first people I met when I moved here to attend graduate school years ago. He was a huge and friendly help to students there—practical, down-to-earth, capable, and approachable—so when we recognized each other while I was touring Brearley for the first time as a prospective teacher, I immediately felt that this school would be first-rate. So I will always remember Kenny as an early ambassador for Brearley itself. Over the decades that followed I witnessed more of Kenny’s all-hours and behind-the-scenes heavy lifting and critical aid keeping this place up and running for our entire community. We all owe such a debt of gratitude to Kenny for his tireless preparations during every phase of our Covid opening—always with a deep generosity of spirit and refusal to throw in the towel—traits that will serve as an enduring gift in their lesson to us all.—Luigi Cicala When I first started working at Brearley I started off as a school assistant and would see Ken in the morning in front of 590. After working for a short period of time I knew Brearley was where I wanted to grow and quickly made my way to become the facilities assistant. In my interview with Noel, Ivan and Kenny, I remember stating that I loved fishing and the outdoors and Ken’s face shined. Sharing that similarity I instantly didn’t look at him as a coworker, I thought of him as family. As time went on, he would at times knock on the window of my office to exchange a silly face or call me accidentally to get in contact with his daughter whose first and middle names are same as mine: Michelle Taylor! In my mind Ken was like a dad I never had and I will miss him so much. But I am happy that in the time I knew him I was left with only good and fun memories. He loved his team and it showed. His family will forever have a special place in my heart. —Michelle Echeverria

Ken went above and beyond in everything— from his countless heroic efforts when he chose Brearley over his family and community in PA to his hearty laugh to his unwavering dedication to his job and responsibilities. He was kind and selfless; he would drop everything to help anyone, anytime, anywhere. His precious summer vacation time was spent shuttling his daughter and her belongings off to college in the South. He was a skilled and competent outdoorsman. He spent winters snowboarding in the Poconos with his children. Each and every Valentine’s Day he presented his wife with a case of her favorite candy.—Doris Coleman

Kenny and I had the Poconos in common, so we became friends quickly. He would often give me rides back to PA and we would talk about everything from his family to work to his love of deer meat (which always made me turn green). Once when my dad had heart surgery he drove me home and reached out several times during the procedure to see how we were doing. He even brought me back to NY the next morning; he insisted. He was a good friend, always willing to help out like that, and asked for nothing in return. Kenny was kind, selfless, hardworking and was a lot fun to be around. Of the many things I find myself missing, his laugh is by far the biggest. You could hear it from a mile away, and it always made you laugh too even if you had no idea what was so funny. RIP, my friend, you are missed.—Jennifer Bartoli