Talented seamstress, lived her many years

Gladys ( Moniz) Frates-Riley, 89, of Chandler, Az. and formerly of Warren, died Sunday, July 13, 2014, at Emeritus Senior Living in Gilbert, Az. She was the wife of the late Joseph L. Frates Jr. and the late John J. Riley Sr.

She was born in Fall River, a daughter of the late Ernest and Thomasia ( Moniz) Moniz. Gladys was a seamstress for the Well Made Dress Shop in Warren for many years before retiring.

She was a resident of Warren before moving to Arizona, and while in Warren she was a parishioner of St. Thomas the Apostle Church and a member of the Holy Rosary Sodality.

Mrs. Frates-Riley was an excellent seamstress, and she even made a relative’s wedding dress and the dresses for the bridesmaids, as well as most of her daughter’s clothing. She loved decorating cakes for birthdays and weddings. She enjoyed knitting sweaters for family and crocheting afghans. She had been an avid reader.

Gladys leaves her sons, Joseph L. Frates III and his wife Diane of Kingsport, TN and Kenneth S. Frates and his wife Linda of Gainesville GA.; and a daughter, Susuan DeBlois and her husband David of Chandler, Az. She was the grandmother of six, great-grandmother of 12, and great -great-grandmother of seven. She was the sister of the late Mozart Moniz, Ernest Moniz, Leane Futado and Hilda Valentine.

Her funeral will be held at 8 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 3, from Smith Funeral, Memorial and Cremation Services, 8 Schoolhouse Road, Warren, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 9 a.m. in St. Thomas the Apostle Church, 500 Metacom Ave., Warren. Burial will follow in St. Mary of the Bay Cemetery, Vernon Street, Warren. Relatives and friends are invited to attend. Calling hours are 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 2.

Gifts in her memory can be sent to Hospice of the Valley, 1510 E. Flower Street, Phoenix, Az. 85014-5656. See www.wjsmithfh.com.

Geraldine E. “Nanna” Chaves, 81, of Heritage Road, Bristol, died Tuesday, Aug. 26, at Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, with her loving family by her side. She was the wife of the late Ernest J. Chaves.

Born in Daingerfield, Texas, she was the daughter of the late Raymond C. and Mary (Murphy) Easley. She previously lived in Needham, Mass., before moving to Bristol in 1966. Mrs. Chaves was a waitress and hostess at Bickfords, formerly in Seekonk, for many years. She also worked at the Monte Vista, formerly in Seekonk, and the former Marcello’s Restaurant in Swansea. She loved gardening, reading and was an avid Red Sox fan.

She will be sadly missed by her children, Mary J. Moore and her husband John of North Kingstown, Robert D. McAdam of Warren, Elizabeth A. Johnson and her husband David of Warren, and William A. McAdam of Bristol; 13 grandchildren; 12 great grandchildren; her sisters and brother, Maxine Schools, Joyce Cato, Patsy Moore, Tina Easley and Harold Dwayne Easley, all of Texas. Besides her husband and parents she was preceded in death by a daughter, Judy E. McAdam, brothers R.C., Ralph, Curtis and William Easley, and a sister, Mary Frances Harris.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a graveside service Tuesday, Sept. 2, at 11 a.m. in St. Jean Baptiste Cemetery, Vernon Street, Warren. Visiting hours are Monday, Sept. 1, from 4-8 p.m. in the Sansone Funeral Home, 192 Wood St., Bristol.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Autism, 4340 East-West Highway, Suite 350, Bethesda, MD 20814.

For online condolences, shared memories, information and directions, go to www.sansonefuneralhome.com.

Juliette A. Cotta, 73, formerly of Paquin Street, Warren, died Tuesday, Aug. 26, 2014, at St. Elizabeth Manor in Bristol.
Born in Warren, a daughter of the late Manuel and Maria “Lucy” ( Alves) Cotta, she was a parishioner of St. Thomas the Apostle Church.
She leaves her brother, Manuel Cotta Jr. of Bristol; her sisters, Lorraine Dalesio of Warren and Joan Swist of Warren; one niece and three nephews. She was the mother of the late Mark W. Cotta.
Funeral services will be held at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 30, from Smith Funeral and Memorial Services, 8 Schoolhouse Road, Warren, followed by a Mass of Christian burial at 10 a.m. in St. Thomas the Apostle Church, 500 Metacom Ave. Burial will follow in St. Jean Baptiste Cemetery.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend visiting hours from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 30.

I’ll miss our regular visits to the Bristol Sip ‘n Dip. I’ll miss his warm, gentle smile and the spontaneous greeting: “Manny Correira, how’s everything?” Things just won’t be the same any more.

My dear friend Michael Corso, affectionately called “Red” by all those who knew him, passed from this life on Aug. 20, after suffering a fall in a tragic accident three days earlier. In recent years, he lived in Bristol with his wife of 60-plus years, Teresa Corso. Before retiring, he worked for many years in the jewelry industry.

Red was the gentlest, most respected man I ever met. Born, raised and educated in Providence, it was his association with the Rhode Island Matadors Drum & Bugle Corps which formed our friendship. That was some 40 years ago, when the corps was rehearsing at the old Naval Reserve Armory at the foot of Church Street in Bristol. There’s always been a distinct connection between the Matadors and the town of Bristol, with a good number of corps members coming from our fair community.

“Those were great years,” as Red once reflected in an earlier interview. Music filled the armory and attracted a large number of visitors each week, myself included. From that moment on, Red and I became inseparable.

Drum and bugle corps, of course, was not foreign to us Bristolians. George R. “Dep” Fish, a proud Bristolian, was the father of drum corps in the United States, having formed the original Bristol Boy Scouts Troop 1 Drum & Bugle Corps in 1913.

Remarkably, Red Corso and George Fish had much in common. They both started in scouting and each had a vision about drum corps which was both unique and commanding. In addition, they were as committed and dedicated to the activity as any two men in history. Each achieved national acclaim.

Red founded the Matadors in 1969. As he recalled, “On this memorable evening, a group of dedicated men gave birth to a new drum corps, the Rhode Island Matadors. This was not to be a merger of two corps but a brand new corps with brand new ideas and brand new goals, to compete with the elite of drum corps on a national level.”

In 1972, the Matadors achieved that goal by becoming members of Drum Corps Associates, the only R.I. drum corps to have that distinction.

Red Corso brought honor and integrity to drum corps in this area. For 40 years he served as DCA treasurer and led the RI Matadors, with its trademark Spanish style music, to national prominence, including two separate fourth place finishes at the DCA Championship. He also was proud of the corps’ scintillating performance at New York’s Madison Square Garden in 1977 in a DCA show many thought the Matadors should have won.

He also helped form the RI Picadors Junior Drum & Bugle Corps of Bristol, which was designed to help kids continue their music education while serving as a “feeder” drum corps for the Matadors.

Throughout his drum corps career, Red gained national and international recognition, including induction into the World Drum Corps Hall of Fame and Rhode Island Matadors Hall of Fame. He was the example by which others followed. I’m convinced that over the course of these many years, Red loved drum corps more than any man I ever knew.

He also loved being a part of the Bristol community. He wanted to retire here because of this town’s beauty and drum corps heritage. He and his wife enjoyed walking down Bristol’s historic downtown district admiring its architectural splendor. And, above all, Red loved parading with the Matadors in the Bristol Fourth of July Parade.

I invited Red to march with me as an aide when I was Fourth of July Parade Chief Marshal in 2007, and of course, he happily accepted. He even helped put together a special Matadors float to mark the occasion. I was so overwhelmed by his generosity. But then again, Red had always been that way.

On the street marching with his corps or in a rehearsal hall, Red Corso always put his best foot forward. There will never be another man like him. He is survived by his wife, Teresa, his daughter, Elaine, his grandchildren and great children. He was also preceded in death by a son, Michael J. Corso, who died tragically in a motor vehicle accident some years ago.

Bob Burns of Bristol, a longtime member of the Matadors, said Red was special in every way.

“There are just a few people in this world who have the rare ability to make you feel that you matter in this world,” he said. “They make you achieve more than you thought you could and expected nothing less of you, so you never want to disappoint them. There are very few of these people on this Earth so if you’re fortunate enough to have had one as your friend and lose him, that loss is extremely profound.”

In the end, Michael Corso lived his dream…with style and dignity. And, for all of us who knew and loved him, we’re better off for it.

Jacquelyn E. Leeds, 58, of Southborough, passed away on Thursday, August 28, 2014, at home. She was the daughter of the late John H. and Barbara (Bulwinkle) Leeds.

Mrs. Leeds had a wonderful personality and was very good with children. She was a member of the Westport Grange P of H, #181, Westport.

She is survived by her two brothers, John H. Leeds and his wife Suzanne of Southborough, and Curt D. Leeds of Fall River.

Private arrangements are under the direction of the Potter Funeral Home, Westport.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22718, Oaklahoma City, OK 73123-1718.

To sign the online guestbook, please visit www.potterfuneralservice.com.

Frank “Dee Dee” Perry, 79, of E Street, Bristol, died Tuesday, Aug. 26, in Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, surrounded by his loving family. He was the husband of Irene G. (Gomes) Perry, his wife of 54 years.

Born in Fall River, Mass., and a lifelong Bristol resident, he was a son of the late Joseph and Mary (Sousa) Perry. Mr. Perry was a machine operator for the former Carr Fulflex Corp in Bristol for many years, retiring a number of years ago. Following his retirement, he was a self employed carpenter in the Bristol area.

Mr. Perry was a communicant of St. Elizabeth’s Church, Bristol, and a former member of the Generation’s Alumni Drum and Bugle Corps.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by his children, Donna McAdam, Frank Perry, Jr., Dawn and James Perry, all of Bristol; three grandchildren, Erin and Eric McAdam and Jaime Perry; a sister, Rose Watkinson of Bristol; and a brother, John Perry in California. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by brothers Joseph, Anthony, Angelo and Manuel Perry and a sister, Georgiana Mello.

Funeral services from the Sansone Funeral Home, 192 Wood St., Bristol, are scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 3, at 8 a.m. with a Mass of Christian Burial at 9 a.m. in St. Elizabeth’s Church, 577 Wood St., Bristol. Burial will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Chestnut Street, Bristol. Visiting hours are Tuesday, Sept. 2, 4-8 p.m.

For online condolences, shared memories, information and directions go to www.sansonefuneralhome.com.

Mary Lou Clarke, 65, of Tiverton, passed away on Thursday, Aug. 28, 1014.  She was the partner of Mary Roach.

Born May 24, 1945, in Fall River, she was the daughter of the late Andrea (Lajoie) Clark and William Clarke.

She was the proprietor of Alcheldo’s Restaurant in Tiverton with her partner.

She is also survived by her siblings, Michael Clarke of Tiverton, Patricia Smith (husband Tim) of Tiverton and William Clarke  (wife Lori) of Portsmouth.  In addition, she leaves nieces and nephews Chelsea Smith, Doran Smith, Jenna Clarke and Jason Escobar.

Arrangements are with the Pocasset Memorial Funeral Home 462 Main Road, Tiverton.

www.almeida-pocasset.com for online guestbook.  A memorial service will be held at a later date.

William Butler Jr. of Westport passed away Saturday, Aug. 30, 2014, at Sacred Heart Home. He was the husband of Jeannette (Desmarais) Butler.

Mr. Butler was born in Fall River, son of the late William Sr. and Margaret (Hearn) Butler, and resided most of his life in Westport.

He was a communicant of Our Lady of Grace Church and a U.S. Navy veteran of World War II.  He and his wife established Butler’s Colonial Donut Shop in 1955, which they operated for many years and still hold the business name and recipe.  He was a member of the Knights of Columbus and the Montaup Country Club.

In addition to his widow, he is survived by two daughters, Kathleen Santos and her husband, Gerald, of Westport and Donna Carreiro and her husband, Russell, of Warren, RI; two grandchildren, Gerald and Andrea; two great-grandchildren, Gerry and Luke; and several nieces and nephews. He was the brother of the late David Butler.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend visiting hours on Monday, 4-7 p.m., at the Potter Funeral Home, 81 Reed Road, Westport.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Our Lady of Grace Church on Tuesday at 10 a.m.

An online guest book is available at www.potterfuneralservice.com.

Kevin Waters, 50, of Tiverton, died at home on  Friday, Aug. 29, 2014, after living with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) for five years.

Born in Fort Knox, Ky., on July 28, 1964, he was the son of Janet (Proulx) Waters of Tiverton, and John R. Waters Sr., of Bushnell, Fla.

He leaves two siblings, John Waters Jr. and Deborah Thompson and her husband Christopher, and is preceded in death by his sister Barbara Waters. He also leaves two nieces, Amber and Chelsea Waters; a step-sister, Leigh Ann Waters; numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, and many friends, including Tessa and Vada Carey. Last but not least, he leaves his beloved dog Nila and his cat Kitty, who were always by his side.

Kevin enjoyed the last year of his life with Deborah Silvia and her four children, Danielle, Marisa, Arianne and Natalie. Debbie and her girls provided Kevin with an abundance of joy, love and sense of family. If one can be happy living with ALS, Debbie and her family made it happen with Kevin.

The Waters family wishes to thank Ron Hoffman and the entire staff at Compassionate Care ALS for the extremely generous help and support they provided throughout Kevin’s illness, as well as the ALS Association, RI chapter.  Thanks also to Rudy, Tammy, Albert, Nathan, Judy, Mark, Pat and all the other neighbors and caregivers, whose help allowed Kevin to live independently at home.

Kevin will be remembered for his perspective on life. Despite living with ALS, he remained upbeat and positive, setting an example by doing things his way! His journey is echoed in the words of Wally Lamb, “…one day, at long last, I stumbled from the dark woods of my own, my family’s and my country’s past, holding in my hands, these truths: that love grows from the rich loam of forgiveness; that mongrels make good dogs; that the evidence of God exists in the roundness of things. This much, at least, I’ve figured out. I know this much is true.”

Prior to his illness, Kevin was the owner of Workstation Installations Plus, based in Portsmouth. He spent his entire adult life in Portsmouth and Tiverton.

His services will be private. A celebration of his life will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, the Waters family would like memorial donations to be made in Kevin’s name to Compassionate Care ALS(CCALS) P O Box 1052 W. Falmouth, MA 02574.

Additional information available at www.memorialfuneralhome.com

PORTSMOUTH — Robert Lee Crudup of Portsmouth, R.I. passed away peacefully on Aug. 30, 2014. He resided at Atria Aquidneck Place for the last several years. He spent this glorious summer in the care and comfort of his greatest treasure: his loving family. He was 92 years young.

Born Aug. 7, 1922 in Durant, Okla., he was the son of Clarence Percy Crudup and Lillie May Davis. Growing up in Oklahoma, he graduated from Claremore High School in 1940. He was a graduate of the Senior ROTC Officer Candidate School in 1944 and earned a B.S. and M.S. from Oklahoma State University in 1952 with degree studies in educational administration. He was an Honor Graduate and member of Phi Delta Kappa. He was also a member of Kappa Sigma fraternity.

He began his career in education as a Training Officer at Ft. Belvoir, Virginia and served in Japan and the Philippines. During his service to the country he met and married Kathleen Dorothy Bowman of Newport, R.I., who was serving as a nurse. Afterwards, they returned to Oklahoma to finish their education and began a family. Upon visiting Rhode Island for the first time, he found the area irresistible and decided to “drop anchor” for good in Portsmouth, R.I.

His first position was as supervising principal of Henry F. Anthony School from 1954-60. He then went on to work with the superintendent and Building Committee to plan and open Melville School, and was the supervising principal until 1966. His role continued as with the expansion of Hathaway School and Elmhurst School. During this time he also was the coordinator of transportation and supervised 17 school buses between all elementary schools and was also was the coordinator for budget control and worked with all elementary schools. At the time, Portsmouth did not yet have a middle or high school. He retired from the Portsmouth School Department in 1985 after 35 years. During his long career, he taught at least three generations of children, many of whom remember him as fair but firm.

He was a member of many professional associations including the American Association of School Administrators, National Education Association, Rhode Island Education Association, past president of the Portsmouth Personnel Association, Rhode Island Administrators Association, and the National Elementary Principals Association.

Outside of work he belonged to a variety of civic organizations and was a long-time member of the Portsmouth Lions Club where he served as president and for many years as secretary. He was a charter member of the Portsmouth Scholarship Foundation and the Portsmouth High School Boosters Club.

His involvement in the Boy Scouts of America began as a youth and he earned the rank of Eagle Scout. As an adult he served as the Newport District Commissioner, several Troop Committees, and well into his 80s sat on the Eagle Board of Review which approved candidates for the badge. Over the years he participated as an adult leader at Camp Yawgoog and led scouts on excursions to the Philmont Scout Reservation in Texas and two World Jamborees. He was awarded the Silver Beaver, Scouting’s highest adult award, recognizing his lifetime of contribution to the Scouting program.

He was known as Portsmouth’s No. 1 sports fan. He faithfully attended both practice and games of every sport team with enthusiasm and was a fixture both on the team bus and on the sidelines. He was a charter member of the “Chain Gang” who set up the football field for home games and carried the line markers well into his 70s.  The baseball field at Portsmouth High School is named “Bob Crudup Field” in his honor. He was a lifelong fan of any team from Oklahoma but the Sooners were No. 1 along with the Boston Red Sox and the New England Patriots, and he attended Super Bowl XX.

He was an avid traveler and visited Australia, Canada, England, Scotland, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Russia, France, Germany, Israel, and the USA from Hawaii to Florida but missed climbing the Great Pyramids in Egypt.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 45 years, Kathleen, son David Crudup, and grandson Scott Neubold. He is survived by sisters Jo Ann Tanner and Johnnie Lou Griffith, both of Oklahoma, daughters Virginia Harris and husband Ian of Redwood City, Calif., Nancy Horgan of Warren, R.I., Susan Reid and husband Graham of Fountain Valley, Calif., son Robert Crudup, Jr. and wife Jillian of Thousand Oaks, Calif. He leaves grandchildren Kurt Smith, Greg Neubold, Shayna Callahan, Shaun Horgan, Heather Reid, Brandon Crudup, Andrew Reid, and great-grandson Dayton Callahan, and array of adoring family, friends and fans far and wide.

Never one to seek the spotlight, he asked for private family arrangements. For all who might like to honor his life and legacy, contributions can be made to the Robert L. and Kathleen B. Crudup Family Scholarship Fund established at the Rhode Island Foundation, 1 Union Station, Providence, RI 02903 or online. Always seeking to help dedicated students to spread their wings and fly, his yearly grants are made to qualifying Portsmouth High School seniors to assist them in their quest for higher education.

A celebration of his life is planned for next spring. Online tributes can be shared at www.memorialfuneralhome.com.

James A. Panzarella, 75, a lifelong resident of Bristol, passed away Aug. 28, in Miriam Hospital. He was the husband of the late Fern (Tomaz) Panzarella and son of the late Salvatore and Helen (Cortelessa) Panzarella.

Mr. Panzarella worked in the jewelry industry for many years before retiring. He also enjoyed going to the YMCA.

He was the father of James A. Panzarella, Jr. of Bristol, and the late Eleanor Panzarella; brother of Angelo Panzarella of Bristol, and Josephine Nappi of Warren; and uncle of Janet Nappi, Debra Andrade, Rhonda Thibadeau, Tonya Thibadeau, Justine Andrade, Alfred Thibadeau and Nathan Andrade.

His funeral and burial were private. For on-line condolences, visit www.Wilbur-Romano.com.

Joann “Sara” (Salisbury) LeBlanc, 67, of 2 Laurie Lane, Bristol, died Saturday, Aug. 30, at Rhode Island Hospital, Providence. She was the wife of the late Norman “Buck” LeBlanc, who preceded her in death in 2009.

Born and raised in Pawtucket, she was a daughter of the late Henry and Genevieve (Kryzwonos) Salisbury. A resident of Bristol for 34 years, she previously resided in Lincoln. Mrs. LeBlanc was a graduate of Sacred Heart High School in Pawtucket, class of 1964, and received her Bachelor of Arts degree in education from Rhode Island College in 1968. She was the account payable clerk for Regal Interiors of Fall River, Mass., for more than 10 years, retiring in 2009. Mrs. LeBlanc loved working around her home and gardens and spending time with close friends and family.

She is survived by three children, Shannon L. O’Brien (Kevin), Sean M. Skenyon (Dr. Jill Proulx) and Ryan P. Skenyon; three step-children, Kathleen M. Murphy, David A. and Daniel N. LeBlanc; four grandchildren, Cal Harrington, Cooper Skenyon and Daniel and Jack O’Brien; two brothers, Alan Salisbury of Barrington and her twin, James “Butch” Salisbury of Cumberland. In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by a step-son, James “J.R.” LeBlanc.

Funeral Services and burial will be private. Visiting hours are respectfully omitted. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the American Parkinson Disease Association, RI Chapter, P.O. Box 41659, Providence, RI 02940 or online at www.riapda.org.

For online condolences and shared memories go to www.sansonefuneralhome.com.

Retired Master Sergeant Eugene (Gene) P. Sullivan, 84, of Fort Myers, Florida, and formerly of Bristol, passed away on Aug. 9, at Hope Hospice in Bonita Springs, Fla.

Born in Bronx, NY, son of the late Patrick and Albertine (Mousseau) Sullivan, he was the husband of Barbara Cordeiro-Sullivan and the late Anita (Giusti) Sullivan. In addition to his loving wife, he is survived by his two children, Bryan Sullivan of Bristol, and Bonnie Penfold (husband Richard) of Somerset, Mass.; seven grandchildren and many extended family members and friends.

John L. Almeida, 58, of Waterman St., passed away Aug. 31.

He is survived by his sons Julian and Jordan Almeida; his parents John and Maria (Alves) Almeida; brother Walter, sister-in-law Julia and their sons Alexander and Nicholas, all of Bristol; his beloved girlfriend Beth Watson of North Kingstown and his former spouse, Laurie Ovalles.

Funeral services will be Friday Sept. 5 at 10 a.m. from the George Lima Funeral Home, 367 High St., with a Mass of Christian Burial, at 11 a.m. at St. Elizabeth Church, 577 Wood St. Burial will follow in North Burial Ground, Bristol. Visiting Hours are Thursday, 4-8 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that Memorial donations be made to The East Bay Food Pantry, 150 Franklin St., Bristol, RI 02809.

www.limafh.com

Yuma Erickson, so well loved by so many, passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2014. He was 53. He was the son of the late Robert and Searle Erickson.

Yuma was a 1979 graduate of Foxboro High School and was the president of his senior class. He earned a degree in architectural design from Rhode Island School of Design in 1996.

He has worked with several members of his family at Sunrise Erectors in Canton for many years, specializing in design build, wood restoration projects.

Yuma loved his collection of records, musicians and his tractors.

He was the loving husband of Gloria (Crist), and the loving father of Ava.

He is survived by four sisters, Barbara Erickson of Florida, Pamela Medor-Ellis of Georgia, Wendy Erickson of Maine and Kimba Malm of Quincy; and two brothers, Jeff of Canton and John of Milton. He is also survived by 17 nieces and nephews and eight grand-nieces and nephews. Yuma was predeceased by two brothers, Gary and Randy.

A day celebrating Yuma’s life, beginning with a brief service at 11 a.m. and continuing as an open house barbecue until 4 p.m., will take place on Saturday, Sept. 6, at his home at 324 East Road in Tiverton. Casual summer attire recommended.

In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the Ava Erickson Education Fund, at Canton Co-Op Bank, 671 Washington St., Canton, Mass.

Alma (Marino) Viggiani, 95, of Port Washington, NY and Bristol, died on Sept. 3. Born in Bristol on August  26, 1919, she moved to New York when she married her beloved late husband John.

Mrs. Viggiani was always a Bristolian at heart. She was the loving mother of Judy Gibaldi (Rocco); cherished grandmother of Chris (Elvira) and David (Samantha) Gibaldi; great grandmother of Rocco Gibaldi; dear sister of the late Geraldine Marino and Theresa Romano.

Contributions may be made to the National Shrine of St. Jude at www.shrineofstjude.org or Food for the Poor at www.foodforthepoor.org.

William T. “Bill” Connell, 78, of Riverside, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, September 2, 2014, at the Philip Hulitar Hospice Center. He was the beloved husband of Carol L. (Davol) Connell. They were married for 53 years.

Born in the Fox Point neighborhood of Providence, he was a son of the late Joseph W. and Helen M. (Sheehan) Connell.

He served his country proudly in the Rhode Island Army National Guard for several years.

Bill worked as a technician for New England Telephone, AT&T, and then Lucent Technology for 25 years. He later established East Bay Telephone which he ran for ten years before retiring.

He was a member of the American Legion-Post 10, Riverside, and the Fox Point Boys Club, where he was inducted into their Hall of Fame in November, 1989. An avid tennis player, Bill was also a member of the Kendbrin Swim and Tennis Club in Riverside for many years, and was a tennis coach at East Providence High School, Barrington High School, Mount Hope High School, and Seekonk High School.

In addition to his wife Carol, he leaves his children, William J. Connell, and his wife Diane, of North Smithfield, Nancy L. Rippel, and her husband Brian, of Spotsylvania, Virginia; Michael T. Connell, of Riverside; a sister, Helen M. Reilly; and four granddaughters, Amanda C. Connell, Nicole E. Connell, Chloe M. Rippel and Eva H. Rippel. He was the brother of the late Joseph E. Connell and John F. “Jack” Connell.

His funeral will be held Monday, Sept. 8, at 8:45 a.m. from the Russell J. Boyle & Son Funeral Home, 331 Smith St., Providence, with a Mass of Christian Burial at Saint Brendan Church, 60 Turner Ave., at 10 a.m. Burial is in Saint Mary of the Bay Cemetery, Warren. Calling hours are Sunday, Sept. 7, from 3 to 6 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the Boys and Girls Club of Providence, Fox Point Clubhouse, 90 Ives Street, Providence, R.I. 02906 in his memory would be appreciated. For directions and online condolences, please visit www.boyleandsonfuneralhome.com.

Theresa C. ( Carraturo) Martel, 94 of Warren, died Tuesday Sept. 2, 2014 at the Crestwood Nursing Home, Warren.

She was the wife of the late Albert Martel.

Theresa was born in Bristol a daughter of the late John and Mary Grace ( Rivera) Carraturo. Mrs. Martel, was a homemaker and previously worked as a Dress maker for the former Well Made Dress Company for many years, and also had worked for the former Lowney’s Laundry.

She has been a resident of Warren since 1939 coming from Bristol, she was a parishioner of St. Jean the Baptiste Church, and she enjoyed gardening and planting flowers.

She is survived by her son Edward and his wife Nancy Martel of Warren, a grandson Kevin Martel of Warren, a granddaughter Karen Vincelette of Alburgh VT.

Mrs. Martel was the great grandmother of three, and also survived by several nieces and nephews.
She was the sister of the late Carmine Carraturo, the late Frederick Carraturo , the late Nancy Martel, and the late Millie Simonelli.

Her funeral will be held Saturday Sept. 6, 2014 at 9:00 am from the Smith Funeral and Memorial Services, 8 Schoolhouse Road , Warren, followed by a mass of Christian Burial at 10:00am in St. Jean the Baptiste Church, 328 Main St. Warren, burial will follow in St. Jean the Baptiste Cemetery.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend. Visiting hours Friday from 4- 7pm. www.wjsmithfh.com

Michele A. Corbeil-Sperduti, 42, of Tiverton passed away peacefully Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2014, at Philip Hulitar Inpatient Center, Providence, surrounded by her loving family. She was the beloved wife of John P. Sperduti.

Born in Providence, a daughter of Albert J. Corbeil of Portsmouth and the late Rhonda L. (Felber) Corbeil, and the stepdaughter of Kathleen Corbeil of Portsmouth, she had lived in Central Falls for 19 years before moving to Portsmouth in 1990. She has lived in Tiverton for the past eight years.

She was the associate director of the Pell Center and the Pell Honors Program at Salve Regina University for 7 ½ years before retiring due to illness in July 2012. Previously, she worked for the Wurman Ted Conferences for seven years.

Michele received her bachelor’s degree from Rhode Island College and received her master’s degree in International Relations from Salve Regina University.

Besides her husband, father and stepmother, she is survived by her mother-in-law, Mary L. Sperduti of Cranston.

Her Requiem Eucharist was held Saturday, Sept. 6, in Grace Episcopal Church, Providence. Burial was in Swan Point Cemetery, Providence.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Michele’s memory to the Youth Music Program at Grace Episcopal Church, 175 Mathewson Street, Providence, RI 02903, or the Pell Honors Program, Salve Regina University, 100 Ochre Point Avenue, Newport, RI 02840 would be appreciated. For guest book, please visit www.bellowsfuneralchapel.com. Arrangements with Bellows Funeral Chapel, Lincoln.

Carol A. (Wilusz) Ney, 54, of Portsmouth, (formerly of Tiverton), daughter of Stanley J. and Helen Wilusz of Tiverton, passed away unexpectedly on Friday, Sept. 5, 2014.

Besides her parents, she is survived by daughter Alicia A. McGuire (husband Robert Fisher) of Westport; sister Kathryn H. Wilusz of Murroe, Co. Limerick, Ireland; brother Thomas Wilusz of Fall River; nephews Michael Wilusz Brennan and Chad R. Wilusz; aunts, uncle and many cousins.

At the request of the family, services will be private. Contributions may be made in Carol’s memory to Home and Hospice Care of Rhode Island, 1085 North Main St., Providence, RI 02904.