Joseph J. Kenney Jr.

RYE — Joseph J. Kenney Jr., 74, died Wednesday, July 2, 2008, at Portsmouth Regional Hospital after a lengthy illness.

Born in Hopkinton, Mass., he was the son of the late Joseph J. and Dorothy (Landry) Kenney.

Mr. Kenney grew up in Hopkinton and graduated from the University of Massachusetts - Amherst in 1955 with a degree in chemistry. He continued his education at Northeastern University. He worked as a chemist and ran the materials testing laboratory for 33 years at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.

He leaves his wife of 49 years, Carol Ann (Nanatonis) Kenney; his sons, Joseph Kenney and his wife Joni of Saco, Maine, and Peter Kenney of West Kennebunk, Maine; his daughters, Lizabeth Comeau and her husband Edward and Christine Bean and her husband Scott, all of Hampton; his sister, Anne Doherty and her husband Bernard of Harwich, Mass.; five grandchildren, Lindsey and Corinne Comeau, and Jack, Ryder and Sarah Kenney; and numerous nieces and nephews.

WE REMEMBER: After retiring, Joe became a water commissioner and served the town of Rye in his tenure for 14 years.

Joe coached Rye Little League for many years and was an avid golfer.

Those he leaves behind say, "We will miss you, Big Guy."

SERVICES: Family and friends may visit from 4 to 7 p.m. Sunday in the Remick and Gendron Funeral Home-Crematory, 811 Lafayette Road, Hampton.

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Monday in St. Theresa Parish, 815 Central Road, Rye Beach. Burial will be private.

The family suggests donations to the N.H. Food Bank, a program of N.H. Catholic Charities, P.O. Box 686, Manchester, NH 03105.

The funeral home can be reached at www.RemickGendron.com.