Alice Claire (Walling) Dias passed away peacefully on Thursday, February 13, 2025, surrounded by her loving family. Claire, a lifelong Fifth Warder, was born on April 24, 1929 to the late Robert M. and Alice L. (Fitzpatrick) Walling in Newport, Rhode Island.
Claire has many fond memories from when she attended St. Augustin’s parochial school. She graduated from St. Catherine’s Academy in 1946, where she was elected Class President all four years and continued to stay active after graduation by serving on many Alumnae committees.
Growing up, Claire spent countless hours playing basketball at “the Hut” year-round and, after high school, competed on a women’s basketball team that played around New England. Claire attended Newport Business School and worked at Newport Hospital. She continued to get together with her closest childhood friends, affectionately called “Club,” several times each year for over seventy-five years.
Claire married the love of her life, Joseph C. Dias on September 15, 1951, at St. Augustin’s Church. Together, Claire and Joe operated Maple Farm Store in Middletown. In 1959, they opened “Joe’s Package Store,” which allowed them to connect with and serve the Fifth Ward for over 30 years, they found joy in being a staple of the community.
A devout Catholic, Claire was an active member of St. Augustin’s Church, where she was a Eucharistic minister, a member of the Finance Committee and Parish Council. Claire chaired the Christmas Bazaar and she and Joe hosted the annual Chicken Dinner for over 20 years.
Claire was an active member of the Democratic State Committee and was elected a delegate to the 1986 Rhode Island Constitutional Convention.
In 2007, the Irish Heritage Committee honored Claire and Joe with the Civitas Award. In 2017, Claire was the Grand Marshal of the Newport St. Patrick’s Day Parade and thoroughly enjoyed seeing the crowds brave the frigid temperatures. Claire was a member of the Ladies Ancient Order of Hibernians.
When you were in her presence, you were always family. Nothing brought Claire more pride than being the matriarch of her family.
Claire was preceded in death by her husband, Joseph, and her brother, Robert M. Walling Jr.
She is survived by five children: Mary Alice Jerome (Michael), Joseph Dias (Beth), Missy Munroe (Tom), Susan Clark (Douglas), and John Dias (Colleen). She was the beloved Nana to eleven grandchildren and seventeen great-grandchildren.
Visiting hours will be held on Monday, February 17, from 4:00 to 7:00 pm at the O’Neill-Hayes Funeral Home, 465 Spring St, Newport. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, February 18, at 10:00 am at St. Augustin’s Church, corner of Carroll Ave & Harrison Ave, Newport. Burial will follow at St. Columba Cemetery, 465 Brown’s Ln, Middletown.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the St. Augustin’s Church Building Fund, PO Box 357, Newport, RI 02840, www.staugustinnewport.org.
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