Francis P. KAYATTA, 87, of Newton Drive, Greenville and of Jamestown, a retired pharmacist died Saturday in Fatima Hospital, North Providence. He was the husband of Mary (Dolan) Kayatta. They were married 62 years.
Born in Providence, he was the son of Francis P. and Emily (Streker) Kayatta. He graduated from the former RI College of Pharmacy (University of RI) in 1950 where he was a member of the Kappa Psi Fraternity.
Mr. Kayatta was the former owner of The Greenville Pharmacy, in Greenville, a business founded by his father. He retired in 1986 from the State of RI where he served as Chief of Pharmacy of the former Fogarty Hospital at Ladd Center.
He was an army veteran of World War II. A member of the 5th regiment of the First Calvary Division he served in the South Pacific where he earned four battle stars, a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star. He took part in the invasion of the Admiralty Islands, Leyte and Luzon in the Philippines.
He was a longtime parishioner of St. Philip’s Church, Greenville where he served as a former member of the parish council and finance committee. He was also a Fourth Degree Member of the Knights of Columbus and a member of the VFW Post 10505.
He is also survived by a son Reverend Francis P. Kayatta, Pastor of St. Mary, Star of the Sea Church in Narragansett and two brothers, Paul J. Kayatta of New York and William J. Kayatta of South Portland, ME.
His funeral will be held Thursday at 9:45am from the *ANDERSON-WINFIELD Funeral Home, Route 44 at Greenville Common, Greenville. A Mass of Christian Burial at 11am will be in Blessed Sacrament Church, 179 Academy Avenue, Providence. Visitation Wednesday 4-8pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to his Alma Mater, Blessed Sacrament School, 240 Regent Avenue, Providence, RI 02908