Kevin completed his first year at William & Mary and began his second year in the Fall of 2001. He had completed much of his research on how the Oystercatcher nesting habits were affected by the changes in the sandy beaches where they live.
And then Kevin returned home to Cincinnati for Christmas break in 2001. Sadly, and very unexpectedly, he suffered a heart attack and died. The coroner determined that he died from ventricular fibrillation. His heart basically just stopped working and he died almost instantly. Here is his obituary.
It has been several years since Kevin left us, and we still miss him very much. His love of life and his quick wit made him unforgettable to everyone who ever knew him.
Although Kevin only lived 24 years, he managed to accomplish more than many people achieve in much longer lives. He seemed almost driven to do so many things. His trip to Australia is just one example of how he set his sight on a goal, made plans and achieved his goal. It was almost as if he knew he wouldn’t have a long time on this earth.
Kevin’s long hours of research at William & Mary was not in vain. His Graduate Advisory, Professor Ruth Beck, determined to have Kevin’s Master’s degree awarded to him posthumously. This would become the first time William & Mary awarded a degree posthumously, and they have been around since 1693!!! We thought it was a lost cause, but Professor Beck came through and Kevin was awarded his degree. Sadly Professor Ruth Beck passed away May 28, 2015. She, along with many others at William & Mary were very kind to Kevin’s family after his untimely passing. They even held a memorial service in the historical Wren Chapel.
All of Kevin’s friends and his family still miss him and his smiling face.