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Yours in Customer Service

Renee Newell really cared about the answer when she would ask, "How can I help you?" That made her an excellent customer service agent, bartender, family member, friend.

"She had customers of hers, through the airline, come from out of state to the wake; that's the kind of person she was," said her brother Ronnie Tetreault. "Any time they were flying, she would try to get them better seats."

Mrs. Newell, 37, was on Flight 11, traveling with a friend who was afraid of flying. Mrs. Newell would usually fly out of the airport in Providence, R.I., near her home in Cranston. But she left from Boston on Sept. 11 so they could fly nonstop and first class.

Her mother, Lillian Tetreault, was supposed to go along but was not feeling well. She remembered how Mrs. Newell used to work at the family restaurant, and how she helped when her father went into a nursing home, in between taking her son, Matthew, now 9, to soccer, baseball and bowling. "For a long time, when I used to call the house after this happened, he would pick up on the first ring, thinking it was her," Mr. Tetreault said. "He was hoping she'd call, that she was all right."

Profile published in THE NEW YORK TIMES on March 17, 2002.


Flight 11, September 11, 2001. American Airlines Customer Service Agent, Renee (Tetreault) Newell, of Rhode Island, perished on Flight 11, American Airlines, on Tuesday, (September 11, 2001). She leaves her beloved husband, Paul Newell of Rhode Island; and her very precious son, Matthew. Loving daughter of Lillian (DiMartino) Tetreault and her father, Raymond Tetreault of Rhode Island, formerly of Hartford. Renee is also survived by her dearest sister, Michelle Murphy and brother-in-law, Michael Murphy of Rhode Island; brothers, James, Ronald and Steven Tetreault of Rhode Island; uncles, Frank DiMartino and wife, Kathleen of East Windsor, Salvatore DiMartino and wife, Elizabeth of Florida, John Guerriero of Windsor, James Tetreault of Rhode Island, and Paul Tetreault of Rhode Island; aunts, Rose (DiMartino) Norrie of Windsor, Antoinette (DiMartino) Zawerton of New York, Carol (DiMartino) and her husband, Guido DiPadua of Rhode Island, Theresa DiMartino of Glastonbury; many nieces, nephews, cousins; and an abundance of friends. Renee was predeceased by her paternal grandparents, Salvatore and Anna (Congelosi) DiMartino; her aunt, Lucy (DiMartino) Guerriero; uncles, Lester Norrie, Gene Zawerton, and Jack DiMartino. Renee's legacy to all of us were "The Three L's" - Live kindness; Laugh often; Love much. Renee will always be remembered in love, and with many beautiful memories. Visitation hours, and special prayers for all mankind, will be held September 28, 6-9 p.m. at the Urguhart and Murphy Funeral Home, 800 Greenwich Ave., Warwick, RI. Memorial Mass, September 29, 10:30 a.m., St. Rocco Church, 927 Atwood Ave., Johnson, RI.

Paid Notice published in THE HARTFORD COURANT on 9/17/2001.