KEVIN CONSEY

Kevin was an intense, complex and remarkable man. He was my beacon of inspiration, strength and courage.

He came from a modest background, but always had an awareness of a greater world. He saw what was in front of him, but also had a strategic vision of what could be. His intelligence was a blend of common sense, academic training and street smarts. His insatiable curiosity and love of learning dominated both his professional life and personal interests.

Kevin was intrigued by history and culture, and by the endless capacity of humans to create, communicate and grow. His personal passion for education, learning and sharing ideas guided him to the museum world, where he believed he could help the public access the joy of Art and the transformational experiences it brought to his life and could bring to theirs.

He had a strong sense of dignity and integrity that he maintained throughout his life, even in the face of more than a decade of medical challenges. He treated others with respect regardless of their education or job, but he did not suffer fools easily. He was able to shift smoothly from a construction site to a classroom, from a campsite to an exhibition opening or the Board room.

Although quite capable of acting independently, as he did when consulting or teaching, Kevin thrived when working with others on a team. As much as he liked a pat on the back for accomplishing goals, he made sure to share credit for achievements with his team, publically whenever possible.

Kevin had high expectations and challenged colleagues and students to think BIG, improve their skills and work hard to achieve their dreams. He was indefatigable as he represented the interests of the institutions he led. He demanded a great deal from himself and others, but knew that hard work, creativity and the shared efforts of talented colleagues offered the best chance

for success and satisfaction. He was fiercely loyal to colleagues, friends and students, offering support, advice and encouragement. Even with his busy schedule he tried to maintain contact with people who passed through his life. He had a good and generous heart, and valued friendships over long periods of time and sometimes long distances.

In addition to his many other admirable personal characteristics, Kevin’s most memorable trait was his sarcastic, razor sharp sense of humor. Although he tried to maintain a tough and gruff exterior, he relished the opportunity to make people smile or better yet laugh. Everyone who really knew Kevin can remember his raised eyebrows or his chuckle when he engaged in a battle of wits with a worthy adversary. I can’t count how many times I told him over the decades, that he made me laugh almost every day. It helped him maintain a youthful energy and playfulness, to balance the weight of his responsibilities.

Even as a young person I recognized Kevin was unique. We were very young when we met, and although mature for our age, we still had much to learn.
We wondered if we would grow apart, or if our shared values, love and
respect, would be enough to keep us together. We pledged to keep the lines of communication open and succeeded most of the time. As we aged, we talked about how lucky we had been to find each other so early in life. Over the years, I told friends that marrying Kevin was the single best decision of my life. Even though we both had independent careers, the life we shared together was

full of wonder, travel, learning, and lots of love for each other, and the many friends we shared.

Life with Kevin was an adventure, which resulted in a treasure trove of stories, memories and friendships.

I was the lucky one.

Susan