Kevin Michael Conatty, a Soldier, Policeman, Private Investigator, Fiancé’, Step-Dad, Friend, Son, Brother, and Uncle. How could I even begin to put down on paper, his life story, and all of the wonderful things that he brought to me and my daughters life? Kevin was such a wonderful man who touched so many peoples lives in many different ways. He had a love that was so real, pure, and honest, anyone that ever knew Kevin or was a part of his life always felt important, loved, respected, and we are all the better for knowing and loving him. There was so much to love about Kevin. Even though it is hard for us, Sarah and I like to talk about all of the things that we did with Kevin and who he really was as a person, the man I loved more than anything. Remembering the special things Kevin did for us, and the extra things he did everyday to make both Sarah and I feel loved and know that we were the most important things in his life, still makes us smile amongst our tears that we still shed for him. Kevin will forever be in our hearts, thoughts, and lives as we carry him with us through our memories as a family together.
Kevin enjoyed, and had so many different interests in his life. One of his all time favorite things to do, other than spending time with us, was riding his Harley Davison’s Motorcycle and playing poker every Monday night. When Sarah was visiting her Dad in Georgia, we would go for long bike rides, just the two of us. I will admit at first, I was not all that excited to hop on the back of his motorcycle, but once I wrapped my arms around him, I knew that I was safe. Sharing this experience with Kevin, and being able to embrace his pleasures and happiness in his life brought us closer and created a connection just the two of us understood. Being able to connect with Kevin through our experiences together, made our love grow stronger every day no matter what we had to face together. I will always remember and take comfort in the feeling of security of having my arms wrapped around him, the wind on our faces, and feeling the excitement and freedom in his heart with every beat that I felt in my soul as we road down endless roads together in silence just being together.
Kevin was also a huge sports fan. He would really look forward to baseball and football season to come around each year. One of his favorite things to do on the weekends during "sports season" was to have a bon fire going in our back yard, as he relaxed out on our deck listening to the game, drinking a beer, and smoking a cigar. We have so many fond memories of Kevin being so happy and relaxed doing what he really loved to do.
Kevin was also a wonderful cook, or should I say "Grill Master"? He loved to grill almost anything. This was a passion, that I must say he and Sarah shared. Some of their favorite items were Lemon Pepper Chicken, BBQ Ribs, BBQ Chicken, brats burgers and Shish Kabob’s. Because I don't eat meat, Kevin would always make me feel included in the grilling experience by grilling veggies just for me. He also enjoyed going to a particular restaurant in Milwaukee called Prime Table. He would go every morning like clockwork and order the same menu items every time. I can hear him now… "Yes, I would like to have two eggs over medium, hash browns, ham, toast and a salad." Like he would even need to tell them. They would already have his order almost waiting on him when he arrived. Everyone knew Kevin at Prime Table. He was a regular, a friend, and they treated him really wonderful. As a family, the 3 of us would go to Prime Table on Saturday and Sunday on occasion. As usual, Kevin would be in rare form, playing and joking with Sarah. Kevin was always able to make Sarah and I smile, that was only one of many reasons why I loved him so much. Some of his best work would be when he was able to balance a spoon on his nose, right there in the middle of the restaurant. That was our Kevin, just a big kid himself at times. Sarah and I would just laugh and laugh, we could not help ourselves. He really enjoyed making us both happy.
There was so much to know and love about Kevin. He was not only a wonderful Fiancé’, he was also a wonderful step-dad to Sarah. It was the little things that he did for her all of the time. For example, when Sarah returned from visiting her Dad in Georgia, he would have her favorite meal (usually BBQ Chicken or BBQ Rib’s) all ready for her, along with one red rose sitting on the kitchen table. This, as well as many hugs and kisses, was his way of telling Sarah that he loved and missed her while she was gone, and that he was so happy that she was back home with us.
Speaking of what a wonderful Step- Dad Kevin was…., There are not enough words for me to be able to describe how much love he had for my daughter. It wasn’t just the incredible things he did to include Sarah in his life like gong to his families house for the holidays, (i.e. going to Aunt Nancy’s house for the 4th of July celebrations, or Grandma’s house for Christmas, Easter, or Thanksgiving), it was the little thing that he did like taking Sarah to school in the mornings or taking her to Brownies. These are the things that Sarah misses most. Don’t get me wrong, Sarah does miss going to his family for holiday celebrations, but it is the things that Kevin did for her that allowed just the two of them to spend time together and bond that she misses the most. Kevin would love to take Sarah shopping, just the two of them for special occasions like Mother’s Day , Christmas, or my Birthday. Kevin always made time to do things with Sarah like playing ball in the backyard or playing chase. He wanted to take Sarah on his Harley, but she was just to short and they were both waiting on her to get taller. Kevin thought of us as his family and that a family should be about people loving and caring about you without wanting something in return. He always made Sarah and I a priority in his life and we always felt important no matter what. Kevin knew we felt the same way about him. We were a family, we are still a family. We know and feel that Kevin is always with us because we get to take his love with us everywhere we go.
Kevin always made time for things to make us feel important. He was always there for Sarah’s birthday parties, school plays, every year when Sarah's school would have special friends day Kevin was her special friend that came Kevin even took off work because he knew how important it was to Sarah to have him there I think it was real important to him also and anything that was important to her. The three of us would watch movies go to the movies together, go bowling play darts, which he really loved ( that’s because he won most of the time). We would carve pumpkins, go to the Brewer’s game, go to the state fair the zoo and listen to music. Some of his favorite music was Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi, and Journey. Kevin even took me to a Bruce Spingsteen concert, as well as Bruce Springsteen and the East Street Band where we saw fire works together. These are memories that we will always treasure. There was so much to know and love about Kevin. He would even make time to do the little things that people would have never known about him like going grocery shopping for us since this was something that I did not really like to do. He was an honest man with good values and both Sarah and I have learned and experienced so much having him in our lives. We were just like any other family, we had good times and bad times, but we always got through them together. We would talk and solve our problems together as one, a family unit.
Kevin will forever be missed and loved on so many different levels. A song that plays on the radio, a smell that triggers an emotion, a thought of a past memory representing a life that once was. Kevin lives in us both. Still… ALWAYS…. Everyday, every breath!! People don’t ever realize what they really have until it is gone. I knew what I had and still have in his memories that flow through me. I take a deep breath and hold it with the hopes that this was all just a bad dream and that I will wake up in the middle of the night and feel safe again because I can feel his heart beating and I can hear him breathe. I miss him so much that it over comes me on most days and the void grows within me that sometimes I find it difficult to breathe. Sarah and I still go on with our daily lives because that is what Kevin would have wanted. It’s the little things that make it hard. The things people don’t think about. Him taking out the trash, tucking us both in, or knowing that he was there with us and for us no matter what.
Kevin, I will love you forever. I know that you are with me and Sarah no matter where we are and what we do. Please know that we both miss you so very much and you are always in our hearts, minds and souls. Thank you for being our guardian angel. Knowing that you are watching over us in a new life and in a new way gives us hope for us all to be together again one day. I will continue to visit you in my dreams where we talk, laugh, and are together as we once were. Like nothing has happened and no time without each other has past. This is our time.. I love you more that I could ever show you, but I know you feel it still. We WILL be together again one day. Until then….
Wendy

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