Florence W. Quigley
Florence W. Quigley, of Riverside, died peacefully in her home on May 5,2024, three days after her ninety-third birthday. A lifelong resident of Riverside, Mrs. Quigley was preceded in death by her husband Thomas W. Quigley, her parents Charles and Florence Barney, her sisters Dorothy and Carol Barney and brothers Walter and Charles Barney. She was the loving mother of Michael S. Quigley of Riverside, Timothy J. Quigley of Riverside, Mary E. Richards of Smithfield, James M. Quigley (Robin) of Riverside and Thomas E. Quigley (Sandra) of Riverside. She was the beloved “Nana” of Amy Richards, Holly Rumsey, Benjamin Quigley, Jackie Wilson, Rachael Lavoie, Alicia Quigley, Brendan Quigley and Christa Quigley and the great-grandmother of Connor Quigley, Luke Lavoie, David Rumsey and Rue Richards-DuPont.
A proud graduate of East Providence High School in the Class of 1949, “Flo” saw her children and two grandchildren graduate as Townies. Mrs. Quigley, after many years as a homemaker, began a career as a bus aide with the special needs students of East Providence and then a classroom aide. She retired in 1993. While working as an aide, she was a driving force behind the establishment of union for the classroom aides in East Providence and served as secretary of that organization.
Florence was extremely proud of her work with the special needs students of East Providence.
A convert to Catholicism, she was a communicant of St. Brendan’s Church and attended daily Mass for many years. She was active in the American Association of Retired Persons and St. Brendan’s Forever Young Club. A lifelong bowler, she was a member of the East Providence Recreation Senior League. Her work as a charter member of the Friends of Pomham Rocks Lighthouse Association which helped to preserve and promote that lighthouse was one of the highlights of her retirement years. In her retirement, she enjoyed traveling especially with other East Providence seniors. She visited Ireland, Montreal, Ottawa, New Orleans, Hawaii and Branson, Missouri. Florence also enjoyed gambling at Foxwoods where she was often a high roller!
The family would like to thank Visiting Nurse Home and Hospice and CNAs Sandra Ferreira and Elsa Betances for their kind and compassionate care for their mother as she approached her Eternal Rest.
Her Funeral will be held on Friday March 10, 2024 from the W. RAYMOND WATSON FUNERAL HOME at 8:45 a.m. with a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Brendan Church, Turner Avenue, Riverside at 10 a.m. Burial will follow in Gate of Heaven Cemetery.
Calling Hours are Thursday 4-7 p.m. Flowers are respectfully omitted. Contributions in Florence’s memory to Meeting Street School, 1000 Eddy Street, Providence, RI 02905 or the Friends of Pomham Rocks Lighthouse Association, P.O Box 15121, Riverside, RI 02915 or East Providence Scholarship Foundation, Class of ’49 Scholarship, P.O. Box 154438, East Providence, RI 02915 would be greatly appreciated. For online condolences please visit www.wrwatsonfuneralhome.com
