Born in Providence, she was the daughter of the late Domenico and Pasqualina (Capuano) Puopolo; beloved mother of JoAnn A. Onorato and her husband Vincent, Jeffery P. Zalewski and his wife Sterling, and Kathy Volante (daughter of her late sister Angelina) and her husband Peter. She was the grandmother of Ryan and Jason Onorato, Jessica Davis, Allison McFarlin, Courtney Skaggs and Jesse Volante, and great-grandmother of 12. She was also the sister of the late Sebastian, Antonio, Vincent, Joseph and Rocco Puopolo, and Angelina Labbadia.
Mary graduated from Mt.Pleasant high school in 1943 and served on her reunion committee for many decades. In addition to her family, her interests included Daughters of the Eastern Star, sewing clubs, gardening, traveling groups, and ballroom dancing. As an accomplished pastry chef, she enjoyed passing on her skills and family recipes to her grandchildren. She especially loved the ocean and her years spent at the family beach house in Charlestown, Rhode Island. Her tenacious work ethic was exemplified by her 45 year employment as a bookkeeper until her retirement at age 95. She might have been described as, “small in stature but large in heart and soul, a true lioness!” Mary was raised in the Methodist church and demonstrated her Christian beliefs in all she said and did, a woman of stellar character and integrity.
Visitation and funeral services in the Pontarelli-Marino Home will be private with burial to follow in Highland Memorial Park, Johnston. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the HopeHealth Hulitar Hospice Center at https://www.hopehealthco.org/ways-to-give/donatenow.
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18