Kim was the beloved wife of the late John C. Kenyon of Chatham and is now rejoicing to be with her sweetheart once again.
Kim was the beloved daughter of the late James Jalbert and Yvonne (Bilodeau) Jalbert of Hartford, CT. She was also predeceased by sisters Lillian (Jill) Casey and Joan Slattery and brother James (George) Jalbert.
She leaves behind three children: David Kenyon (and wife, Maureen) of Chatham, Stephen Kenyon (and girlfriend, Cecile Galloway) of Tyngsboro, and Amy Brothers (and husband, Andrew) of Plainville. And although she eagerly awaited grandchildren but thought she might never have any, she also leaves behind six of them – John Kenyon (and wife, Jessica) of Salem NH, Michael Kenyon of Abington MA, Adam Brothers of Waterford VT, Jacqui Kenyon of Brooklyn NY, Alexandra Kenyon of Denver CO, and Audrey Brothers of Quincy MA – as well as two great-grandchildren, Julie and Jillian Kenyon of Salem, NH.
Kim also leaves behind her dear sister Annette Garvey of Wethersfield, CT and dear sister-in-law Kay Jalbert of Glastonbury, CT, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
Kim will be very missed by all who knew her. She made friends wherever she went because she always had a smile on her face and a positive word to say. No matter the circumstances, Kim maintained an optimistic outlook on life and always felt it better to count her many blessings than to focus on the things that weren’t perfect. Eloping with John when she was 19 years old and then saying good-bye to him shortly afterward when he went to war, they went on to have a blissful marriage of 66 years... some days more blissful than others, of course.
Kim was quite the active and vibrant person her entire life. For much of her adult life she was a stay-at-home mom and liked to correct people who characterized her as “not working” -- preferring instead to say she “worked but didn’t get paid for it”. While raising her three children, she was a very involved parent, volunteering as Cub Scout den mother, Girl Scout leader, CCD teacher, and
more. Additionally, she taught sewing lessons, drove the elderly in Medfield to their doctors’ appointments, and was a driver for Meals on Wheels for years.
After she and John retired to Chatham, she continued her active lifestyle for another 35 years. She joined the Newcomers Club, regularly played both tennis and bridge, volunteered at the Eldredge Public Library and the Council on Aging in Chatham, and was always available when someone needed a helping hand. Her hobbies were endless. She painted, caned chair seats, created cut-and-pierced lampshades, gardened, and was an avid reader. She and John also took walks together every day and truly enjoyed being with one another.
She found joy in many things, but her children and grandchildren brought her the most happiness and felt her greatest blessing was to have them all living in New England so she could see them on a regular basis. She felt especially fortunate to live to an age where she could see her grandchildren grow into adults and often said she couldn’t ask for anything more.
Although she never pushed her opinions on her children (or others), Kim was always happy to share her wisdom when asked…and it typically turned out to be sage, even though they didn’t always realize it until years later.
Kim never wanted to be a burden to anyone — and with that in mind, asked to have her obituary written well before her death so that it was one less task to do when her family was mourning. And so it was drafted months ago and to ensure its accuracy, it was read to her. She then laughed and said “Wow, I sound quite marvelous!”
And yes, that’s exactly what she was.
Visitation will be at the Nickerson Funeral Home in Chatham on Monday, November 4, from 9:30 to 11:00, and a funeral mass will follow at Holy Redeemer Church in Chatham at 11:30.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America.
For online condolences, please visit www.nickersonfunerals.com.
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
v.1.9.5