Lieutenant
Kenneth Phelan
Engine 217
Memorial
Service
was held on
Sunday November 11, 2001
Kenny
and Patty, Always >From an early age, Kenny Phelan looked
out for other people. He took the children in the neighborhood
no one else wanted to coach and turned them into a basketball
team. "He said, `Well, now these kids have somewhere to play,'
" said his younger brother, Lenard. When the two of them became
police officers in Manhattan, Kenny would drive by to see
how Lenny, on foot patrol, was doing. Their father, a retired
firefighter, was proud when his sons joined the Fire Department.
Kenny Phelan, who was 41, asked for his father's old firehouse,
Engine Company 217 in Brooklyn, when he was promoted to lieutenant.
Off duty, he led his four children — Kimberly, Erin, Danny
and Kenny — on family outings to Walt Disney World and taught
them sports. Now one of his sons plays third base and is known
as "the Vacuum." Nothing gets past him. Lieutenant Phelan
and his wife, Patty, met as teenagers. Neither of them ever
dated anyone else, and he was never without his wedding ring,
which she still hopes will turn up. For their first date,
he asked her to a Mets game. On the way there, she lost a
contact lens. An old lady came out of her house, found it,
and invited them in for Cokes. They made it to the game, and
the Mets won. "I guess I won, too," Mrs. Phelan said. "People
looked at us and it was always Kenny and Patty. I hope my
children will have that, and I hope whoever didn't have that
will have it in the future, because life is empty without
it." Profile published in THE NEW YORK TIMES on August 11,
2002. PHELAN-Kenneth J. Lieutenant FDNY, Engine 217, Brooklyn,
New York, and former firefighter in Ladder 7 & Engine 16 Manhattan.
He died bravely in the line of duty on September 11, 2001
at the World Trade Center. Beloved husband of Patty. Loving
father of Kimberly, Erin, Danny and Kenny, Jr. Cherished son
of Helene and Daniel (Retired FDNY). Dear sonin-law of Bud
and Di Horan. Devoted brother of Marian Owens, Jean Diaz,
Mary Cox, Lenny (Lt. FDNY) and Fran Krische. Dear grandson
of John Phelan & Helen Obremski. Loving godfather, godson,
brother-in-law, uncle, nephew, cousin and friend. The family
will receive friends at Papavero Funeral Home, 72-27 Grand
Ave, Maspeth, Friday 2-5 and 7-9PM. Memorial Mass Sunday,
November 11, 2001 at Our Lady of Hope Church, 2:30PM. In lieu
of flowers, donations to E-16/L-7 Fallen Firefighter Fund,
234 East 29th Street, NY, NY 10016, would appreciated. Paid
notice published in THE NEW YORK TIMES on November 8, 2001.
Newsday
Article