'Turk' Kane, longtime dockworker

JOSEPH "TURK" KANE's life was the Philadelphia waterfront.

He was born, worked and will be buried a block from the Delaware River.

Turk, a longshoreman for 60 years, an official of the International Longshoreman's Association and devoted family man, died Monday. He was 88.

He was born in Queen Village, the fifth son of the 13 children of Teresa and John Kane. He graduated from St. Philip Neri School in 1932 and shortly thereafter, at age 15, started working on the docks at Pier 48, Delaware and Washington avenues.

He became the fifth generation of Kanes to work on the waterfront.

After working with various gangs on the docks, Turk was named to the committee that negotiated labor assignments in 1951.

He participated on every negotiation committee from that time until his retirement in 1992. In 1953, he was elected secretary of ILA Local No. 1291. He served in that capacity until 1971.

Turk also served as a trustee of the sugar royalty and pension funds, secretary-treasurer of Philadelphia District Council ILA, and chairman of the board of trustees of the pension fund.

In 1980, he was part of an ILA delegation to Las Vegas and was there when fire broke out at the MGM Grand Hotel. He assisted rescue workers in evacuating hotel guests.

In 1939, at the Army's request, Turk and other Philadelphia longshoremen volunteered to go to Greenland to teach soldiers loading and unloading procedures of cargo ships.

"Turk had the respect and admiration of every person associated with the Port of Philadelphia," his family said. "As an aggressive yet sympathetic administrator, Turk had always been there for any fellow member who came to him."

In 1941, he married his schoolgirl sweetheart, Mary Molony. Mary Kane was the popular physical-education teacher and basketball coach at St. Maria Goretti High School in South Philadelphia for 21 years. She died in January.

Turk and his family spent their summers in Wildwood. In fact, the first house he owned was a rooming house on Oak Avenue. Turk and Mary were childhood friends of the comedian Cozy Morley and liked to hang out at his club in North Wildwood.

The culmination of the summer was Turk's birthday party on Aug. 17, which would turn out to be a three-day event.

After retirement, Turk and Mary spent part of their winters in Florida, where their children and grandchildren often visited.

Turk is survived by a daughter, Patricia; a son, Joseph Jr., and seven grandchildren. He also was predeceased by twin sons, James and John, and by a grandson, Chuck McManus.

Services: Funeral Mass 11 a.m. tomorrow at St. Philip Neri Church, 218 Queen St. Friends may call at 9 a.m. Burial will be in Gloria Dei Old Swedes Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Run for ALD, c/o Kennedy Krieger Institute, 707 N. Broadway, Baltimore, MD 21205. *