Keefe Rini

Keefe John Rini died on November 16, 2023, in Marianna, Florida at the Sunland Center from metastatic prostate cancer.

Keefe and his twin, Kent Andrew Vincent Rini, were born on December 10, 1953, in Hartford, Connecticut, to their father, Angelo Victor “Vic” Rini, and mother, Mary Arlene Fitzsimonds Rini. They joined their sister, Catherine “Candi,” who was 19 months old at the time. The twins were premature, and Keefe was blind and developmentally disabled from birth.

In 1961, Vic retired and moved the family from Connecticut to Miami, Florida, where they resided for several years. Vic passed away in 1968, and Mary and Keefe eventually moved to Deland in Central Florida. When Candi and her husband, Gene Nelson, settled in Tallahassee after graduate school, Mary and Keefe joined them there. 

Candi was Keefe’s guardian for many years, and with the help of Gene and Kent, made all of Keefe’s residential and medical decisions. Keefe lived at home with Mary until he was 38, and then in local group homes throughout the Tallahassee area until he moved to the Sunland Center in Marianna in 2008. At Sunland, Keefe found his home away from home and enjoyed a happy and peaceful life until his passing.

Keefe was also preceded in death by Mary, who passed away in 2014. Besides his brother, sister and brother-in-law, Keefe had many nieces, nephews and cousins who loved and cared about him. In Tallahassee, his nephew, Erik Nelson (Caroline), and niece, Katrina Nelson, were always a part of his life. 

Keefe’s final journey was supervised by the caring staff of Covenant Hospice. Donations can be sent to Covenant Hospice, 4540 Lafayette Street, Suite G, Marianna, FL 32446. Memorialization will be by cremation with Marianna Chapel Funeral Home in charge of arrangements. His ashes will be scattered at the Memorial Tree at the Sunland Center, among many of the other residents who passed away before him.

The family especially wants to thank the Sunland family, who took such excellent and loving care of Keefe throughout the last 15 years of his life. Food was one of Keefe’s greatest joys, so the family hopes that in his memory, you'll enjoy a donut, pizza or hamburger as much as Keefe always did!!

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