Longtime Batavia Employee Dies In Tree-Trimming Accident: City

BATAVIA, IL — Longtime City of Batavia employee John Kennedy, 53, died last week after a tree-trimming accident at his home, city officials said.

Kane County Coroner Rob Russell told the Daily Herald that Kennedy was killed when a tree branch fell on him, calling the incident "truly accidental."

City officials said Kennedy began working for Batavia as a public works maintenance worker in 1996, eventually holding several positions with the city's streets and engineer departments.

He was promoted to senior engineering assistant in 2006.

"John’s coworkers were his friends, and his friends were his coworkers. He was dedicated to assisting residents to solve the most difficult issues and lightened every occasion with his humor and smile," Batavia City Administrator Laura Newman said in a news release. "To say John will be missed does not even begin to express the loss we feel, and we offer our most sincere condolences to all of John’s family and friends."

Batavia Mayor Jeff Schielke called Kennedy "a friendly face in the community" who would go out of his way to help people, especially senior citizens. "On many occasions, after working on a property, an elderly resident would tell him their railing was broken, or their fence needed repair. He would come back after work and fix it on his own time," Schielke said.

Services for Kenndy are pending, officials said.