Wareham Red Robin Adds Memorials for Two SouthCoast Families

What started as a simple tradition at a SouthCoast chain restaurant has turned into a powerful reminder of love, memory and friendship.

At the Wareham Red Robin, two booths now carry special plaques honoring Steven D.R. Paynter of Carver and Alexander Cura Perez of New Bedford.

Both men left behind families and friends who continue to celebrate their lives in meaningful ways, and now those memories have a permanent place at a local gathering spot.

A Booth for Steve Paynter

For Acushnet’s Kaitlyn Kingsley, Red Robin has always been the place to celebrate her late partner, Steve Paynter, who died in a 2012 car accident when their daughter was just four months old and she was pregnant with their son.

“Every year since he has passed, we’ve gone to Red Robin to celebrate his birthday,” Kingsley said. “The kids love going there, so it’s going to be really cool to sit in the booth and have them see their dad’s name on the wall.”

READ MORE: Mattapoisett Diner’s Touching Tribute to a Regular Who Passed Away

Honoring Alexander Cura Perez

The idea came from Kaitlyn’s close friend, Alyssa Oliveira, who often visits Red Robin with her family. When she noticed a plaque honoring someone else, she asked the restaurant if she could arrange similar memorials.

Not only did Oliveira have one placed for Paynter, but she also had another installed for her brother, Alexander Cura Perez. Perez, a 2020 Greater New Bedford Voc-Tech graduate and Engineering Technician at Leidos, passed away unexpectedly in December 2024 at the age of 22.

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Known for his kindness, resilience, and love of family, Perez also devoted time to coaching his little sister’s softball team.

A Restaurant With Heart

Red Robin didn’t hesitate to grant permission. “It’s so sweet,” Kingsley said. “I love that they do that.”

For her, the gesture means even more than the plaques themselves; it’s about the memories that will continue to be made there, and the friendships that helped make it possible.

“She really is a great friend,” Kingsley said of Oliveira. “It means everything to us.”

Next time you visit Red Robin in Wareham, keep an eye out for the corner booths. They’re more than just seats, they’re stories of love, loss and the people who will never be forgotten.