Kevin Michael Sheehan of Southampton Dies July 22

Kevin Michael Sheehan, a longtime resident of Southampton, died on July 22. He was 76.

Like his Irish forebears, he was a teller of tall tales and the wearer of several hats, his family said. He was born to Margaret Seaman Sheehan and Edward Sheehan on February 8, 1949, in Manhattan.

The youngest of six, he was adored by his older siblings. He was known as the “Sheriff of Bleecker Street” because he walked his West Village neighborhood dressed in a cowboy hat and boots, sometimes packing a toy pistol.

His mother moved the family to Staten Island in 1959 to live near good friends and close to green spaces. He attended New Dorp High School. He began working in the restaurant business, starting in the kitchen at the Corner Bistro and working his way up to the bar at the Lone Star Cafe.

In 1969, he and his best friend Harold Wedick made a trip to California. Their adventures inspired him to move to Los Angeles, where he lived for a decade, bartending at the Troubadour. He had always loved cats and dogs; he adopted a great Dane named Shane.

He returned east in the early 1980s, establishing roots in Southampton. He took up the trade of house painting and worked as an estate manager. He soon met Martha Loveless, who had a daughter, Fiona, and a son, Bart. He was smitten with all three. He and Martha married in 1990. The family welcomed a number of cats into their home over the years. And Little Plains Beach was a place they were particularly happy.

He had a pure heart and beautiful soul, his family said. He was handsome and took pride in his fine mustache. He brought smiles and laughter to those around him, which made him a favorite among his many nieces and nephews. He could be mischievous at times and the memories of his stories will live on.

For their final chapter, Kevin and Martha moved to Delaware in 2018 to live with Martha’s sister and brother-in-law, Mary Edna and Alan Wuertenberger. Martha died unexpectedly in 2023, leaving Kevin bereft at the loss of his soulmate. He longed for the day they would be reunited.

He was also predeceased by two of his siblings, Edward and Jaqueline. He is survived by his son, Bart Shaughnessy of California; his daughter, Fiona Shaughnessy of Delaware; two sisters, Joan Belviso and Patricia Orio; his brother, Robert Sheehan; and his nieces and nephews, Stacy Sheehan, Cara Campanella, Thomas R. Belviso, Douglas Sheehan, Courtney Orio, Christopher Sheehan, Toni Dominici, Meg Belviso, Jeffrey Sheehan, Carter Orio, Ryan Sheehan.

A celebration of his life will be held at a later date.

Memorial contributions may be made to Southampton Animal Shelter Foundation (sasf.org).