NORTH STONINGTON: Terrence Galvin McKenna passed away on October 1st after a long hard battle with cancer at the age of 78.
Born on August 9, 1947, Terry grew up in Mystic, CT and by a divine miracle, graduated from Stonington High School in 1965.
After graduation, he took a year off to attend The Culinary Institute at Yale. Soon after, left Connecticut to attend JFK College in Wahoo, Nebraska, where he dubbed himself as “Wahoo Willie”. Terry was known as a bit of a prankster throughout his high school and short college career. Tales of his antics are still being told to this day.
Once Terry returned to Connecticut, he began working at Mitchell College in New London where he courted his future wife of 45 years, Ann Fridge. Ann was the perfect yin to his yang!
Terry was drafted in1968 and served in the Army for 3 years. He was stationed in Washington, DC, Vietnam, and Germany. He then spent 25 years in the real estate business as a land developer, and the rest of his working years in the limousine business working for Foxwoods Resort and Casino until his retirement in 2015.
Terry loved his community and volunteered his time by sitting on the Stonington Town Committee, and the Pawcatuck Housing Authority in his earlier years.
Terrence was survived by his first love, a 1965 Shelby Cobra; his children Brooke (James) McKenna Veal of North Stonington, CT, and Terrence Galvin McKenna II of Cleveland, OH; Grandson Oliver McKenna of Cleveland, OH; Brothers, Brian McKenna (Teresa) of Bainbridge Island, WA, Paul McKenna of Whidbey Island, WA, Mark McKenna of St. Louis, MO; sisters, Barbara L’Homme of Mystic, CT, Martha (Charles) McKenna Young of Pawcatuck, CT, and Connie Kaschel of Mystic, CT; and many nieces and nephews who loved him dearly.
Terrence was predeceased by his wife, Ann; his parents, James and Catherine Glazier McKenna of Mystic, CT; and brother-in-law, John (Jack) L’Homme, also of Mystic, CT.
Terry was a wonderful father, car enthusiast, and jokester, and he will be greatly missed.
Calling hours will be held at the Dinoto Funeral Home, 17 Pearl Street in Mystic on Sunday, October 5th 3-5PM. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Monday, October 6th at 10am at St. Patrick’s Church, 32 East Main Street, Mystic, immediately followed by the burial at St. Patrick’s Cemetery.
Although his time in the military was difficult, later in life, Terry embraced his VA family. The kindness and support he was shown by the VA was immeasurable, and without them Terry’s life may have looked a lot different. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to Veterans Exploring Treatment Solutions (VETS), a part of the Veteran Alliance for Legislative Outreach and Reform (VALOR) coalition, to combat veteran suicide and advance mental health policy at https://supportvalor.org