Obituary
Rhea Ann (Ellinger) Grenier, 85, passed away peacefully on March19, 2024, at home with her beloved husband of 62 years, George Ronald “Ron” Grenier, by her side. Born on March 12, 1938, in Artesia, New Mexico, she was the daughter of William Henry Ellinger Jr. and Irene Francis (Perry) Ellinger.
Rhea graduated from Artesia High School in 1957 and went on to work for Bell Labs at White Sands Missile Range Army Base in New Mexico. It was here that she met Ron, who was a militarypoliceman in the Army. They were married on October 6, 1962, a joyous occasion made even more memorable when Ron’s fellow officers in Dress Blue uniforms created an Honor Guard as the happy couple left the chapel.
Their six decades together are a testament to their enduring love. After their honeymoon, Rhea and Ron returned to his home state of Rhode Island, where they settled down to raise a family.As a mother of three young children, Rhea earned her Associate Degree in Nursing and became a Registered Nurse in 1976. Her work included the VNA of Rhode Island and she later retired from Medfield State Hospital in MA. She was an avid reader and golfer, and came to love the ocean, especially after growing up in the desert of the Southwest. After raising a family, Rhea and Ron relocated to Fort Myers, FL, where they made many friends and fond memories over the course of 21 years. They were parishioners of St Leo Catholic Church in Bonita Springs, FL.
In addition to her husband, Ron, Rhea is survived by her three children, Roseanne Hooven and her husband Rudy of Sussex, NJ; Robert P Grenier of Naples, FL; and Rhonda M O’Keefe and her husband Kevin of Millville, MA, and her three grandchildren, Stephen A. and Isabella S. Grenier and Aidan T. O’Keefe. She was predeceased by her two sisters, Billie Ruth Troublefield of Texas, and Aleine Hogan of New Mexico.
A funeral mass will be held at 10:00 a.m. at St. John the Evangelist Church in Slatersville, RI, on Saturday May 11, 2024.
Donations can be made in her honor to Hope Health Hospice & Palliative Care, 1085 North Main Street, Providence, RI 02904.
Service
63 Church St, Slatersville, RI, 02876
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