WATERBURY - James Edward Kernan, 78, of Middlebury, Connecticut and Nokomis, Florida, passed away on December 3, 2025. Born January 27, 1947 in Waterbury, Connecticut, Jim was the beloved husband of Sally (Wesson) Kernan, to whom he was married for 58 years.

A graduate of Boston College and George Washington University Law School, where he earned his J.D. with honors, Jim spent his career as a litigator in Waterbury. He was a founding partner of several firms, including Keefe & Kernan, Kernan & Henry, Kernan, Scully & McDonald, and Kernan & Scully. What Jim loved most about the law wasn't the courtroom drama—it was the endless learning. Each case meant diving deep into a client's business, mastering the intricacies of an arcane medical condition, or untangling some obscure corner of knowledge he'd never encountered before.

Jim generously donated his legal expertise to charitable organizations and causes throughout his career, believing deeply in using his skills to serve others. That same curiosity and commitment to learning followed him everywhere. When Jim traveled, he made a point of visiting local courthouses and churches—wanting to understand how different communities organized themselves, resolved their disputes, and expressed their faith. After entering semi-retirement, he and Sally split their time between Connecticut and their home in Nokomis, Florida. A dedicated golfer, Jim was a familiar face at Waterbury Country Club and Mission Valley, where many rounds were played and friendships deepened.

Jim was very proud of his heritage—Scots Irish through his father and Italian through his mother. When he began researching his Irish roots, he discovered cousins in Northern Ireland and England, and those connections became among the most treasured of his life. The families visited back and forth, with Jim hosting his Irish cousins in Connecticut and Florida and making numerous trips to Northern Ireland and England himself.

Left to cherish his memory and honor his legacy is his devoted wife Sally; his loving children Jennifer Kernan and Tim Kernan; his cherished grandchildren William and Alexandra Spear, and Finn and Ty Kernan; his dear sister Barbara Higgins; and many nieces and nephews.

A Memorial Service for James will be held on Tuesday, December 16th, 2025, at The Basilica of the Immaculate conception church, 74 West Main Street, Waterbury, at 10:00 a.m. Burial will be held privately at the convenience of his family. Casey’s Eastside Memorial Funeral Home and Cremation Care, 1987 East Main St., Waterbury, CT, has been honored to care for James and the Kernan family during this difficult time. Loving kindness is always welcome, and it only takes a moment to offer a message of condolence or words of comfort or share a memory of someone important to you. Please visit the funeral home’s tribute page at www.caseyfunerals.com to do so.