M. Rita Kenyon

Rita Kenyon - Dedicated Nurse, Devoted to Family and Friends

March 16, 2026

M. Rita (Roy) Kenyon of Farmington, formerly of Bristol, widow of Walter J. Kenyon, passed away on Monday, March 16, 2026, at Bristol Hospital. Rita was born on July 17, 1930, in Hartford, CT, daughter of the late Alphonse and Eugene (Lavoie) Roy.

A lifelong Bristol resident, she graduated from Bristol High School, Class of 1948. In high school Rita was captain of the drill team where she met the love of her life, Walt.

Upon graduation, she furthered her education at St. Vincent's College, where she obtained her RN degree in 1951. Rita provided many years of nursing care, beginning at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Key West, FL, and went on to build a career in the Emergency Room at Bristol Hospital for over 30 years. She was one of the few nurses whose participation was integral to the development of today's EMT and EMS systems.

She was a devoted parishioner of St. Joseph Church in Bristol. Rita was dedicated to her family and her community and enjoyed volunteering for Meals on Wheels, taking blood pressures and teaching computer use at the Bristol Senior Center, and other organizations.

Rita's care for others was evident in her devotion not only to her family, but also to anyone in need. Every celebration was made special through the thoughtful attention to detail she brought to each occasion.

More than anything, she loved spending time with those she held most dear. Rita was a loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt and friend. Her presence will be deeply and genuinely missed by all who were fortunate enough to know and love her.

In addition to her parents, Rita was predeceased by her husband, Walt; her daughter, Mary Ellen Winer; and her seven siblings: Mary Ann Deveaux, Berthe Dunn, Tony Roy, Arthur Roy, Julie Wood, Paul Roy, and Alphonse Roy, Jr.

Rita is survived by five children: Jim Kenyon and his wife, Betty, of Harbeson, DE; Barbara Theriault and her husband, Al, of Bristol; Joanne Fiorillo of Farmington; Tricia Kenyon of Carlsbad, CA; and Steve Kenyon and his wife, Marianne, of Burlington; a son-in-law, Steve Winer of Bolton, MA; eight grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday (March 30, 2026) at 10 AM at St. Joseph Church, 33 Queen St., Bristol. Burial will follow in West Cemetery, 49 Pound St., Bristol. There are no calling hours. Funk Funeral Home, 35 Bellevue Ave., Bristol is honored to serve the family. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Alzheimer's Association (www.alz.org) or the Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation (www.cholangiocarcinoma.org ) - organizations important to Rita honoring her husband and her daughter Mary Ellen. Please visit Rita's memorial website at www.FunkFuneralHome.com.