Eleanor M. (Gaudet) Skenyon

a longtime resident of Narragansett, died today at her home, after a brief illness and a remarkable life spanning over 103 years.

She was born in the small town of Tignish, Prince Edward Island, Canada, the fifth of sixth children of Francis J. and Mary Barbara (Bernard) Gaudet. The family moved to Providence, Rhode Island when Eleanor was a young girl, and she lived the rest of her life in the state.

She was a graduate of Holy Name School and St. Xavier’s Academy. Upon her graduation from high school, because of her artistic talent, she was offered a position as a commercial artist for a local department store. However, she was also awarded a scholarship to Rhode Island College, then known as the Rhode Island College of Education, and became instead an elementary school teacher and later supervisor in the Providence School system. Eventually she earned a Master’s Degree in Education, and at the end of her career spent several years as the Vice Principal of the Henry Barnard School attached to Rhode Island College. For several years after her retirement, she and a fellow teacher owned and operated “The Teacher’s Room,” a charming school supply store in Johnston.

In 1943, Eleanor married John T. Skenyon. The couple initially lived in Providence, and had three children, before eventually moving to North Providence, where her husband died in 1969. In the early 1990s, she moved to Narragansett, which she loved. She had resumed painting and drawing during her retirement, and was most productive while living in South County. She specialized in watercolors, and did many seascapes and scenes of the Narragansett area. Her artwork was featured in many exhibits, including several shows presented by the South County Art Association in Kingston. A devout Catholic all of her long life, she was a communicant of Saint Veronica’s Chapel in Narragansett.

In addition to her husband, Eleanor was predeceased by her parents, all of her brothers and sisters, Gus, Ang, Joe, Emmeline, and Alma, her son-in-law Myron C. Martynetz, and her nephew Charles Sweeney. She is survived by her son John M. Skenyon and his wife Margaret, son Leo Skenyon, daughter Mary-Ellen, her grandchildren Stephanie, Matthew, and Heather Skenyon, and Heather’s daughter, great-grandaughter Addison Guthrie, Justin Skenyon, Caitlin Terwilliger and her husband Ed and their daughter, great-grandaughter Sophie Terwilliger, and Daniel, Tatiana, Markian, and Alexander Martynetz, as well as many loving nieces and nephews. Despite her great age, until her recent fall she was alert and interested in all of her family’s activities, and kept abreast of current events.

She will be greatly missed by us all.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend her Mass of Christian Burial, Monday, July 17, 2023 at 12pm in Saint Thomas More Church, 53 Rockland Street, Narragansett.  VISITING HOURS will be held in the church from 10am-12pm.  Her burial will be private.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the South County Art Association, 2587 Kingstown Road, Kingston, RI 02881.