Thomas E. Kennedy Jr. of Vineyard Haven died peacefully in his sleep at home on August 4. He was 62.

He was the husband of Suzanne Jones Kennedy and died the day before their thirty-fourth wedding anniversary.

He was born in Waterbury, Conn. on February 21, 1960, the son of Janet Vensel Tracy and Thomas E. Kennedy Sr. He enlisted in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Erlangen, Germany, where he excelled in marksmanship.

After his discharge, he moved to the Vineyard in the early 1980s. He enjoyed a quiet life on the Island.

Early in his career, he was a painter and worked on restoration of the Dr. Daniel Fisher House, the Old Whaling Church and other historic buildings in Edgartown. He continued his career as an independent contractor working in carpentry and construction.

Tom loved cooking, riding his motorcycle and was an overall car enthusiast. He was an excellent driver and enjoyed taking road trips in the northeast — particularly Maine, Vermont and New Hampshire — and the southwest, where he explored Arizona and visited Bryce and Grand Canyon national parks with his wife.

He was fortunate to travel to Norway several times to visit his wife’s relatives, attend a traditional Norwegian wedding held in the oldest Stave church in Norway and stay in a remote mountain cabin while fishing for trout. He also visited France, England and Scotland, where he put his skills to the test while driving on the left side of the road. He had a quirky, dry sense of humor that always made people smile and re member to not take things too seriously.

A lifelong animal lover, he had a soft spot for all creatures and was always willing to help stray and injured animals. He was a man of few words but never hesitated to ask questions and meet new people.

He is survived by his wife Suzanne Jones Kennedy; sister Linda Kennedy Bostrom; mother Janet Vensel Tracy; father Thomas E. Kennedy Sr.; and his nieces Erica Bostrom and Allison Bostrom. He was predeceased by his niece Kristin Bostrom and his grandparents.

Memorial donations may be made to the Animal Shelter of Martha’s Vineyard, P.O. Box 1829, Edgartown, MA 02539.