Mary Elizabeth Winters, 96 years old, passed away surrounded by her loved ones on April 30th at the Grand Islander Health Center in Middletown. Mary was a life long resident of Newport. In her younger years, Mary enjoyed spending summer days at the beach with her friends and family. In later years, she could be found at the Senior Center in Middletown enjoying bingo, luncheons and various arts and crafts. Mary was an accomplished seamstress, avid reader and lover of crossword puzzles and game shows, especially Jeopardy. She worked for several local law firms and the Anchorage Housing as an administrative assistant, and was a bookkeeper for St. Clare Nursing Home until her retirement in 1986. She and her husband Francis (Frank) enjoyed boating and spending winters in Naples, Florida with other couples from the Newport/Middletown area.
Born on October 21, 1920 in Newport, Mary was the daughter of Raffaelo and Jennie Ruggeri. She attended Rogers High School and graduated in 1938. She is pre-deceased by her husband Francis C. Winters, her brothers Victor J. and Ralph P. Ruggeri, and her sisters Frances Jagschitz and Josephine Bradfield. She is survived by five daughters: Kathleen Orr of Hilton Head, South Carolina, Mary Stoner of Houston, Texas and Eileen Winters, Patricia Hessler and Ann Breen all of Middletown; eight grandchildren: Lauren Stoner Navarrete, Michael Stoner, Bryan Hessler, Kyle Hessler, Meredith Hessler, Richard Breen, Daniel Breen and Catherine Chiocchi; five great grandchildren: Jackson, Zachary, Riley and Zane Navarrete and Landon Hessler.
Visiting hours will be on Thursday, May 4th from 4:00 to 6:00 PM at O’Neill-Hayes Funeral Home, 465 Spring Street, Newport, RI and a service on Friday, May 5th at 10:00 AM at O’Neill-Hayes. Burial will follow in St. Columba Cemetery, Brown’s Lane, Middletown.In lieu of flowers, please send donations to either the Senior Center of Middletown, 650 Green End Avenue, Middletown, RI 02842, the Grand Islander Recreation/Activities Department, 333 Green End Avenue, Middletown, RI 02842, or a charity of your choice.
For more information and online condolences, please visit www.oneillhayes.com.
