Paul C. “Pete” Toy, Jr., age 82 of Exeter and formerly of Warwick, passed away peacefully on Sunday, September 24, 2023, at Kent Hospital. Born on March 4, 1941, he was the son of the late Paul and Madaleine (Harris) Toy. For nearly 63 years, he was the beloved husband of Judith A. (Knowles) Toy, his high school sweetheart.
A Cranston High School graduate of 1958, he was employed by Electric Boat in Groton from 1960 to 1966. While attending the University of Rhode Island from 1966 to 1970 and earning a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Pete worked as the Resident Manager at Camp Canonicus in Exeter, RI. He worked at Marshall and Williams and in 1974 started his own engineering company, Toyenco, which he owned and operated for 47 years until his retirement. The Canonicus Camping and Conference Center and The New England Wireless and Steam Museum were organizations near and dear to his heart. A man of great faith, Pete invested a great deal of his time and talents to his church, First Baptist Church in Hope Valley. There wasn’t a person that Pete couldn’t strike up a conversation with and befriend.
Pete was the gentle and loving father of three daughters: Karen Toy and her partner Steve Cachiotti of Narragansett, RI, Linda Sessa and her husband Bill of Madison, CT, and the late Ellen Alfred Russell and her husband Charles of Snow Camp, NC. He was the grandfather of: Matthew Phipps and his wife Brittany, Eleanor Phipps, Ryan Sessa, Lauren Alfred, Mariah (Alfred) Perry and her husband Wes, and Adam Russell; and great-grandfather of two: Jameson Phipps and Logan Phipps. The middle child of three, he is also survived by two sisters: Mary Ann Robinson and her husband Robert and Polly Barey and her husband the late Steve Starger.
Visitation will be held on Friday, October 13 from 9 to 11 AM at Carpenter-Jenks Funeral Home, 659 East Greenwich Avenue, West Warwick, followed by a brief memorial service at 11 AM. Burial will be private.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be sent to: First Baptist Church of Hope Valley, 1059 Main Street, Hope Valley, RI 02832.
Condolences and memories may be left at carpenterjenks.com.
