Batavia mourning the death of longtime city worker in tree-trimming accident

The city of Batavia has announced the death of longtime employee John Kennedy, who died Thursday from injuries he sustained in a tree-trimming accident.

"He was ... cutting tree limbs on his property, fell and a tree branch fell on top of him," Kane County Coroner Rob Russell stated in a text message. "Truly accidental."

Kennedy 53, started working for Batavia in 1996 as a public works maintenance worker, in the streets and engineering departments. He was promoted to senior engineering assistant in 2006, according to a news release from the city.

"John's coworkers were his friends, and his friends were his coworkers," City Administrator Laura Newman said in the release.

"He was dedicated to assisting residents to solve the most difficult issues and lightened every occasion with his humor and smile," Newman continued. "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 remembered Kennedy as a man with "a kind spirit in his heart and a passion for the community."

"John Kennedy was a friendly face in the community. John would go the extra mile to help others including senior citizens in the city," Schielke said in the release. 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," he added.