Ruth A. (Cooney) Fenton, beloved wife of the late Dr. John E. Fenton, passed away peacefully at home in Taunton, Mass. surrounded by her family on Sunday, Jan. 23, 2022, after a long and inspiring life devoted to her husband and family. She will always be a treasure to her family and friends. She was 98 years old.
Ruth was born in Boston, Mass., the daughter of the late John J. Cooney and Mary A. (Quigley) Cooney. She graduated from Tewksbury High School in Tewksbury, Mass. and St. John’s Hospital School of Nursing in Lowell, Mass. An Army veteran, she joined the Army Nurse Corps along with friends from nursing school and served in the Philippines during World War II. After the war, Ruth married John Fenton, a physician. They had nine children and shared a long and happy life together for over 57 years. They were devout Catholics and communicants of St. Mary’s Church in Taunton, Mass.
Ruth is survived by her children: Mary Fenton of Washington, DC; Ruth Kwasnik and her husband Edward Kwasnik, M.D. of Norwell, Mass.; Anne Fenton of Beverly, Mass.; Kathleen Praino and her husband Michael Praino of West Bridgewater, Mass; John Fenton and his wife Marianne Fenton of Middleboro, Mass.; Michael Fenton and his wife Susan Fenton of Acton, Mass.; Joseph Fenton and his wife Laurie Fenton of Longmeadow, Mass.; Patricia Mello and her husband Peter Mello of North Dartmouth, Mass.; and Daniel Fenton and his wife Karen Fenton of Duxbury, Mass. She had 14 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. She was the sister of the late Mary (Cooney) Hayes; late John R. Cooney; and late Bernard M. Cooney, and an aunt and great aunt to Bernard’s family.
On Friday, Jan. 28, relatives and friends are invited to attend a Mass of Christian Burial in St Mary's Church, Taunton on Friday, Jan. 28, at 11 a.m. Visiting hours will be held on Friday morning from 9 – 10:30 a.m. at the O’Keefe-Wade Funeral Home, 70 Washington Street, Taunton, Mass. 02780. Interment is at St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Taunton. (Masks required at the funeral home and in the church.) Donations in her memory may be made to St. Mary's Church, St Mary's Square, Taunton, MA 02780.