Rev. Donal Raymond Kehew

Reverend Donal Raymond Kehew, Ph.D., 78, Pastor Emeritus of St. Andrew Church on Block Island, died on Wednesday, September 19, 2012 at Mount Saint Ritas of Cumberland, RI. Known to all as Father Ray, Fr. Kehew was born on November 24, 1933 in Newport, RI, the son of the late Daniel J. and Margaret (Egan) Kehew.He was a graduate of DeLaSalle Academy in 1951 and Providence College in 1955. From 1955 to 1957, he served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army, based in Ludwigsburg, Germany. After his discharge, he entered the seminary. Fr. Kehew was ordained to the priesthood in 1963 at the American College in Louvain, Belgium. He then served for two years as Assistant Pastor at St. Joseph Parish, Central Falls.In 1965, Fr. Kehew returned to Europe for graduate studies, receiving his Doctorate in Philosophy from the University of Louvain, Belgium in 1969. He then served as Catholic Chaplain at Brown University for six years followed by six years as Pastor of the Genesis Community, Providence. He then was a member of the Team Ministry at Sacred Heart Parish, East Providence for six years and Assistant Pastor at St. Mary Parish, Warren for one year. In 1988, he was assigned to St. Andrew Parish, Block Island where he served as Pastor until his retirement in 2004.Fr. Kehew was a very popular faculty member of the Department of Philosophy at Providence College, serving for twenty-eight years and retiring in 2004. Fr. Kehew was predeceased by his sisters, Margaret (Raymond) Munz of Hauppauge, NY and Sheila (Frank) Fitzgerald of Taunton, MA. He is survived by his sister, Patricia (Blaine) O'Connell of Tiverton, seven nieces and nephews and several grandnieces and grandnephews, all of whom were very special to him.A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Barnabas Church, 1697 East Main Road, Portsmouth, RI on Monday, September 24, 2012, at 10:30am. Burial will follow immediately in the family plot at St. Columba Cemetery, Brown's Lane, Middletown.In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Carmelite Monastery, 25 Watson Avenue, Barrington, RI 02806. Cemetery Details St. Columba Catholic Cemetery Brown's Lane Middletown, RI, 02842 Service SEP 24. 10:30 AM St. Barnabas Catholic Church 1697 East Main Road Portsmouth, RI, US