Ever wonder why the food has been so good at our reunions? Or why the staff have been so helpful? You can thank Alan Kenney, who was Director of the Yale Dining Halls for more than thirty years. He held himself to high standards and treated people with respect, and that attitude filtered all the way down the ladder.
“Al and I made a good team at our 25th reunion,” says Barry Bardo, who was Reunion Chairman that year. “He used his vendor connections to bring us some of the very best ‘premiums.’ Our reunion Yale baseball caps were the same as the varsity team wore, and our polo shirts with the ‘6Y7’ logo were robust and attractive; I still wear mine to Talk ‘67 events.
“Al loved Yale and his job there, and he was proud of keeping so many different Yale dining halls running efficiently, with students, faculty and staff well-fed and on schedule. He was quick-witted and had a gift for connecting immediately with those he met, and his staff seemed to love him. It was fun when he would introduce people to his wife, Honora, and we would reply, ‘Nice to meet you, Honey,’ as he would introduce her.”
Al met Honey at a college dance, and it was a love match to the very end. He passed away on November 25, 2024, and she followed six weeks later. Their daughters Kristen, Kathryn and Alison held a joint celebration of both their lives.
“He will be remembered for his dedication and generosity, his professional achievements, his ability to connect with others, and the warmth and humor he brought to every interaction,” they wrote about their father. “Words can’t describe how much he will be missed by all of us.”