Kenneth Leo Hanley, 76 of Cumberland, RI passed away Dec. 31, 2023 surrounded by his loving wife and daughters. Ken was born April 29, 1947, to Norman and Helen Hanley (nee Streszak) in Providence, RI. He and his younger siblings Norman and Deborah were raised in Central Falls, Rhode Island, where they were loved by their parents, their 12 aunts and uncles and Ken’s dog and loyal companion, Bucky. Throughout his life, Ken was connected to wildlife. He grew up camping, fishing, exploring nature and embracing its beauty, something he shared with everyone he cared about.
Kenneth met and fell in love with Barbara (Junker) when they were teenagers. They married in 1968 and soon after welcomed their 1st daughter Jennifer. During this time Ken was enlisted in the US AirForce where he specialized in communications as a Missileman Radar Com. Because of the Vietnam War, Kenneth’s expertise was needed in Panama. The family was subsequently stationed in the Panama Canal Zone, Central America, where his daughters Deborah (Beale) and Wendy (Meyer) were born, respectively. Still on duty, Ken also attended Canal Zone College to further his education in electronics.
Ken returned with his wife and daughters to New England after four years abroad. While continuing his military service in the Air National Guards, Ken “The Brain”, as his friends knew him, took advantage of his GI Bill benefits and attended Johnson & Wales University in Providence, graduating Cuma laude in 1977 with a BA in Accounting.
There are many ways to paint a picture of Kenneth Hanley’s life. We can explore all his accomplishments and passions. We can talk about how tinkering, woodworking, and music put him in a zone. How he enjoyed animals, running, nature, and travel. How the NY Yankees, Robert Duran “Hands of Stone,” and friendly competition pumped him up. But what was most important to him was family. His love for his parents, his sister and brother, his immediate and growing family, guided many of his decisions.
He was protective, strong and responsible, often feeling his own personal pressure to care for others, whether they expected it or not. He adored his grandchildren, Joshua, Savannah and Luke Beale, Alex Rei, Matthew and Jack Meyer and his many nieces and nephews. He joked with them, made them laugh and utterly enjoyed watching them grow up. He ran road races and skydived with his grandchildren and taught them to fish, all while sharing valuable life skills. He taught his grandchildren to live with pride and integrity, and respect for their families.
While he was a fun-loving and doting grandfather, he was also quite serious and focused. He was a man of calculated decisions who worked hard so that he could enjoy certain freedoms. He and Barbara were able to spend time doing what they loved, dining out and traveling the world, reaching as far as China. His decades pursuit to visit National Parks in every state was realized after a cross country RV trip with Barbara and his Corgies.
Ken’s military life allowed him to visit places off the tourist radar, Panama, Turkey and Greenland. These trips produced such fantastical stories and exotic gifts that left his young daughters in awe. He infused the thrill of travel into his children and grandchildren’s hearts and minds, as he himself felt compelled to discover and immerse himself in other cultures as often as possible.
When he and Barbara weren’t traveling, Kenneth was busy crunching numbers. His professional career as an accountant expanded his entire adult life. He had been a comptroller, controller, and accountant to several companies in varying industries and size. Still, it was his own business that offered him the most professional gratification. Kenneth was the owner and partner, with his wife Barbara, of Number Crunchers Tax and Bookkeeping services. Every tax season for 46 years his home was converted into a mega-office, where he serviced the tax and accounting needs of hundreds of individuals and small businesses.
He rested little during this time, earning professional certificates and training in health and safety, yet he still managed to volunteer as the treasurer of the Post 79, maintained a board position at the American Legion and Elks Lodge 850. He provided transportation to patients at Pawtucket Hospital and helped teaching-doctors stump interns as a mock patient. He had a lot of fun doing that. Together, he and Barbara were always finding ways to be of service. They worked polls together during local and national elections and helped political campaigns.
But it always came back to family for him. Many stories have been shared about Kenneth Hanley. His brothers-in-law, Jimmy, Robert and John often reminisced with Ken’s daughters and their own wonderful children about their adventures catching bass from a small fishing boat, winning tournaments and having to navigate unexpected challenges throughout the years. They shared how Ken encouraged them to choose a military path to both be of service, as well as have a means to embrace whatever passion was unique and desirable to them.
Ken was many things to many people. To his wife, he was a soulmate, to his children he was their north star, to his siblings he was a patriarch, to his grandchildren he was an awesome grandpa and teacher, to all he shared blood with or respectful bonds with, he was a friend. He will be missed beyond words, yet remembered and honored for his dedication to those he loved and who loved him back.
Ken is survived by his wife Barbara, his sister Deborah and brother Norman, his daughters Jennifer Hanley-Rei and her husband Gil Rei, son Alex, Deborah Beale and her husband John, their children Joshua, Luke and Savannah, Wendy Meyer, her husband David, their children Matthew and Jack. His many nieces and nephews, cousins. His beloved corgies, Buddy and Maggie May. To honor Kenneth's wishes, services will be private.The family would like to extend their appreciation for your understanding and condolences that have received.
Arrangements entrusted to the Skeffington Funeral Home and Cremations 925 Chalkstone Avenue Providence.
For online condolences kindly visit: Skeffingtonfuneralhome.com
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