Ronald Joseph Kenville

BLUFF POINT - Ronald Joseph Kenville, 81, passed away unexpectedly on June 2, 2022, from a rare and aggressive form of liver cancer.

Honoring his request, a joyful celebration of his life will be held from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on July 18 at Climbing Bines.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his honor to The Sampson Theatre P.O. Box 106 Penn Yan, NY 14527.

Ron was born November 6, 1940, to Robert and Vera (James) Kenville. He was raised on Bluff Point and graduated in 1958 from Penn Yan Academy. Attending Alfred State College for Ag Power, he sang in The Alfred Choir, and he joined the TG fraternity, where he made many lifelong friends. After graduation in 1960, he went to work for Massey Ferguson, later he joined the workforce of Farrell Corp of Rochester and later Eastman Kodak, taking early retirement in 1987. Ron also served as Seneca Lake Watershed Inspector, Town of Jerusalem Building Code Officer, and Town of Torrey Building Code Officer.

Returning to Penn Yan in 1985, he bought back the farm on Bluff Point that had belonged to his grandparents, he became a vineyardist, met and married Cathy (Phillips-Egburtson). He loved to take his grapes to market in his 18-wheeler, often with his wife and/or grandchildren along for the ride.

He had been a member of the JayCees, the Free and Accepted Masons- a 50+year member, the Order of the Eastern Star, the Penn Yan Moose, the Penn Yan Elks, and the Keuka Lake Community Baptist Church at Crosby where he served as hymn leader and trustee.

Ron enjoyed traveling, especially to visit relatives and friends around the U.S. and Canada, or representing the Moose at State and International Conventions. His greatest joys came from spending time with his family and attending the drama productions, school concerts, and sporting events of his grandchildren.

He is loved and will be dearly missed by his wife, Cathy; children, Barbara, Bryan (Michelle), Peter, Jeff, Chris (Hilary), Sara and Beth; grandchildren, Kaylee (Matt), Jeffrey, Alex, Cassandra, Marilla, Ian, Jack, Arianna, Jonathan, Cole, Andrew, Isabel, Joseph, Owen, Trevor and Devin; six great-grandchildren; brother, Robert (Earl Jean); sister, Sherry (Will); several nieces, nephews, and lots of cousins.