Obituary for Marilyn J. Kuhnly
Marilyn Kuhnly, a longtime Tolland resident who shined her positive energy on everyone in her life, died Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022, at Saint Francis Hospital in Hartford. She was 84.
A celebration of her life is set for 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 20, at the Burke-Fortin Funeral Home, 76 Prospect Street in Rockville. A luncheon and reception follow at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 523 Hartford Turnpike, Vernon. Private graveside services are planned.
Marilyn Janet Rainey was born Oct. 10, 1938, in Somerville, Mass., the daughter of Joseph K. and Doris (Johnston) Rainey.
The family moved to New Bedford, Mass., when Marilyn was very young. She was raised and educated in New Bedford, graduating from New Bedford High School. At NBHS, she joined sisters Betty and Marie Perry in a singing group, “The Dreamers,” performing regularly at school events. She was active in Junior Achievement, and had a Saturday morning local radio show.
Marilyn married John S. Perry Jr., in May 1956. Together, they had 3 children, David, John and Steven, and lived in several Connecticut towns before settling in Tolland in 1963.
Marilyn married Jerry Kuhnly in 1975. They lived on Glenn Drive, raising children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
During her life, Marilyn served as a Justice of the Peace and a Republican Party registrar of voters in Tolland. She was an engineering assistant at Pratt & Whitney, drove school buses, and eventually managed the town’s school bus drivers. Then she embarked on a residential real estate career, eventually owning and operating her own Century 21 agency in Vernon as its broker.
Later in life, as her circumstances changed, she was a devoted, inspiring wife, mother and grandmother.
Marilyn loved music. She was an accomplished pianist and singer. She acted in Vernon community theater. She loved the ocean, UConn women’s basketball, birds, her dogs Sheba, Angel and Sonny, crossword puzzles, flowers, Christmas, food and, above all else, family. She was the driving force in family reunions and gatherings, and in fact assembled a family history book, “Sunshine on a Rainey Day.”
A friend said Marilyn “was an amazing person, and had such a positive way of looking at her life and the many trials she had to overcome.”
Survivors are her husband Jerry and step-daughter Suzy of the family home; sons Steve Perry and his daughter Alycia of Tolland, and Dave (Lisa) Perry of Arizona; step-son Michael Kuhnly of Colorado; grandchildren Ryan Perry of Oregon and Anna Quinn (Luke) Perry of Idaho, Taylor (Robert Bohenko) of Stafford and Joseph Schweitzer of Massachusetts; great-grandchildren William and Larissa Bohenko; siblings Joe (Linda Hewlett) Peter (Sheila), Paul (Kathy), Doreen, Jim (Suzie Tipton) and John “Moe” (Melanie Smart) Rainey; close nieces Deryle Matland and Karin Brasfield; daughter-in-law Heather Perry; former husband John S. (Charlotte) Perry Jr.; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, son John E. Perry, daughter-in-law Lydia Perry and sister Dawn Matland.
Special thanks to everyone at Saint Francis Hospital in Hartford for the exceptional care they gave Mom. Gifts in memory of Marilyn may be made to the Saint Francis Foundation, 95 Woodland Street, 2nd Floor
Hartford, Conn., 06105, or call (860) 714-4900.
A celebration of her life is set for 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 20, at the Burke-Fortin Funeral Home, 76 Prospect Street in Rockville. A luncheon and reception follow at St. John’s Episcopal Church, 523 Hartford Turnpike, Vernon. Private graveside services are planned.
Marilyn Janet Rainey was born Oct. 10, 1938, in Somerville, Mass., the daughter of Joseph K. and Doris (Johnston) Rainey.
The family moved to New Bedford, Mass., when Marilyn was very young. She was raised and educated in New Bedford, graduating from New Bedford High School. At NBHS, she joined sisters Betty and Marie Perry in a singing group, “The Dreamers,” performing regularly at school events. She was active in Junior Achievement, and had a Saturday morning local radio show.
Marilyn married John S. Perry Jr., in May 1956. Together, they had 3 children, David, John and Steven, and lived in several Connecticut towns before settling in Tolland in 1963.
Marilyn married Jerry Kuhnly in 1975. They lived on Glenn Drive, raising children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
During her life, Marilyn served as a Justice of the Peace and a Republican Party registrar of voters in Tolland. She was an engineering assistant at Pratt & Whitney, drove school buses, and eventually managed the town’s school bus drivers. Then she embarked on a residential real estate career, eventually owning and operating her own Century 21 agency in Vernon as its broker.
Later in life, as her circumstances changed, she was a devoted, inspiring wife, mother and grandmother.
Marilyn loved music. She was an accomplished pianist and singer. She acted in Vernon community theater. She loved the ocean, UConn women’s basketball, birds, her dogs Sheba, Angel and Sonny, crossword puzzles, flowers, Christmas, food and, above all else, family. She was the driving force in family reunions and gatherings, and in fact assembled a family history book, “Sunshine on a Rainey Day.”
A friend said Marilyn “was an amazing person, and had such a positive way of looking at her life and the many trials she had to overcome.”
Survivors are her husband Jerry and step-daughter Suzy of the family home; sons Steve Perry and his daughter Alycia of Tolland, and Dave (Lisa) Perry of Arizona; step-son Michael Kuhnly of Colorado; grandchildren Ryan Perry of Oregon and Anna Quinn (Luke) Perry of Idaho, Taylor (Robert Bohenko) of Stafford and Joseph Schweitzer of Massachusetts; great-grandchildren William and Larissa Bohenko; siblings Joe (Linda Hewlett) Peter (Sheila), Paul (Kathy), Doreen, Jim (Suzie Tipton) and John “Moe” (Melanie Smart) Rainey; close nieces Deryle Matland and Karin Brasfield; daughter-in-law Heather Perry; former husband John S. (Charlotte) Perry Jr.; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, son John E. Perry, daughter-in-law Lydia Perry and sister Dawn Matland.
Special thanks to everyone at Saint Francis Hospital in Hartford for the exceptional care they gave Mom. Gifts in memory of Marilyn may be made to the Saint Francis Foundation, 95 Woodland Street, 2nd Floor
Hartford, Conn., 06105, or call (860) 714-4900.