A great man, self-made and self-reliant, a wonderful husband and father and grandfather, left this world a poorer place to live for those dear to him.
Joseph P. Kenyon, 95, of New Bedford died January 27, 2014, at home in the presence of his family. He was the son of the late Peter and Annie (Moses) Kenyon.
He was born in New Bedford and lived in New Bedford for most of his life.
He served in the United States Navy during World War II. He spent the war years serving as a member of the Construction Battalion (the Acorn Division’s CB 109th) in the Pacific Theatre. He was part of the initial invasion of the islands of Roi-Namur in the Atoll of Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands in January 1944. During this assault, he was wounded. In December 1944, he was stationed in Guam, and later, as the war ended, in Hawaii.
In 1950, he travelled to Lebanon with his father. There, he met and later married the love of his life, his wife of 63 years, Marie.
Before the war, he worked at Camp Edwards on Cape Cod. There he rebuilt diesel military equipment. In 1939, Mr. Kenyon opened the Shawmut Avenue Garage in New Bedford. He owned and operated the business until 1960. He also worked for his brother Peter at the Mexican Hat dinner club in Dartmouth. Later, he became supervisor of the vehicle maintenance facility for the City of New Bedford. Finally, he became the diesel equipment supervisor for the US Postal Service’s vehicle maintenance facility in South Boston from which he retired in 1987.
A deeply religious man, he belonged to Our Lady of Purgatory Church in New Bedford.
He was a life member of the Lebanese American Veteran’s Association.
Survivors include his beloved wife Marie; his sons Peter and Anthony of New Bedford, Gerard and his wife Jeanne of Anaheim, CA, and Joseph and his wife Linda of Oak Grove, CA; his daughters Josephine Mansour and her husband Robert of East Providence, RI, Diane LeBlanc and her husband Michael of New Bedford, and Marie McLaughlin and her husband Sean of Plymouth; and his grandchildren (the joys of his life) Joseph, Keira Marie, and Nicholas.
He was the brother of Louis Kenyon of Fairhaven and Marion Mahoney of Atlantic Beach, FL. He was the brother-in-law of Eleanor Kenham of Fairhaven and Sally Kenyon of Wareham.
He was the uncle of Sandra Hammond of Fairhaven, Timothy Mahoney of Atlantic Beach, FL, Gerald Mahoney of Jacksonville Beach, FL, Sean Mahoney of Lutz, FL, and Louis Kenyon of Dartmouth; also survived by many great-nephews and great-nieces, and cousins.
He was predeceased by his brothers Peter Kenham, Moses Kenham, and Nicholas Kenyon; and his brother and sisters-in-law Timothy Mahoney, Sophie Kenham, and Jeanette Kenyon.
Funeral from the Saunders-Dwyer Home for Funerals, 495 Park St., New Bedford Monday, February 3rd at 9 AM. Divine Liturgy at Our Lady of Purgatory Church at 10 AM. Burial will follow in St. Mary's Cemetery. Visiting hours will be on Sunday, February 2nd from 2-5 PM.