George R. Levesque: 11/27/1950 – 4/20/2016
George was born on November 27, 1950 the son of the late Thomas and Anna (Doyle) Levesque. George graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1968, and attended Roger Williams University from which he graduated in 1973.
From 1977 until his retirement in 2012, George was the transportation director for the James L. Maher Center in Middletown, RI, that serves adults with developmental disabilities. Prior to that, George worked as a teacher’s aide for several years in the Middletown Alternative Learning Program. After retirement until his death, George volunteered at AdCare Rhode Island and was otherwise very active in the recovery community.
Following in the footsteps of his father Tom, and sister, the late Mary Levesque, George served as state representative in the Rhode Island General assembly for district 98, which included Jamestown and part of Newport from January, 1999, to January, 2002. While in the state legislature, George served on the Special Legislation committee for working for fair play for workers in Health care facilities and championed such issues as fair pay and parity for mental health and substance abuse care. He was a former member of the Jamestown Housing Authority and was a member of the Senatorial District Committee of his dear friend Teresa Paiva Weed.
George is survived by his brothers and sisters-in-law: Tom and Susan Levesque, Ern Levesque and his wife, Marie Cespedis, and Family Court Magistrate, Charles Levesque, as well as his nephew Tom, his niece Michelle and his great-nephews Michael and Gabriel. George is also survived by his “other family”, David Pritchard, Paula Rosin, Evan Rosin-Pritchard and Leah Rosin-Pritchard.
George was a friend of many, in all walks of life, probably enough to fill a small stadium. He was a movie buff and an avid reader and lover of poetry, Shakespeare, and detective novels with Irish protagonists. He loved all music, but particularly Dylan and Van Morrison. He lived his whole life close to the ocean and tried his hand at quahogging for a couple of years. During hurricanes, he’d invariably break the rules and go down to the water’s edge to watch the storm surge and swim.
Although technically half-Irish, George identified fully with the emerald isle and traveled there on many occasions to visit extended family who lived in the north, some of whom he hosted here at home. Maybe because of this Irish roots, George loved a good argument and never harbored any ill-feelings towards his antagonist (well, hardly ever). George was a friend of Bill W. George loved deeply and let you know it frequently He was a large man with a big heart and we will miss him dearly.
Calling hours will be held on Sunday, April 24, from 2:00- 6:00 PM, in Memorial Funeral Home, 375 Broadway, Newport.
In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to James Maher Center, PO Box 4390, Middletown, RI 02842, or to your local library, or a charity of your choice.
