Edith F. McLaughlin

Edith was unexpectedly diagnosed this May with two rare and aggressive cancers, histiocytic sarcoma and myelodysplastic syndrome type 5.

Edith was the beloved wife of John J. McLaughlin Sr. (Providence Fire Department) for 54 years. Born in Providence, she was a daughter of the late Manuel M. and Alice F. (Peters) Veiger. She attended Central High School in Providence, RI and worked for Union Paper and Astro Med before attending the University of Rhode Island, graduating with a Master’s degree in 2005. She became a grant writer for the American Lung Association.

Edith was the loving mother of three children, Leslie M. Morrissey and husband Ronald, John J. McLaughlin Jr. and wife Nicole, and Heather L. McLaughlin. She was a devoted grandmother to five grandchildren, Michael Mariorenzi, Caitlin Gansert and husband Jacob, Aoife McLaughlin, John “Jack” McLaughlin III, and the late Daniel Patrick Walleston Jr. She was the cherished great-grandmother of Juliana Rose Gansert.

Edith was the sister of Sandra J. Gasrow and husband Dennis, and James Jacques. She was also the sister of the late Arthur, William and Mabel Martin, Laura Cruickshank, Joseph R. Jacques Jr., Robert and Raymond Jacques. She leaves several nieces and nephews.

Edith was an avid knitter and was a member of local and international knitting groups, winning several competitions. She taught classes in knitting at the Warwick public library.

Edith and John traveled extensively. Together they visited the Turks and Caicos Island, Tenerife and Spain. They ferried across the Strait of Gibraltar to Africa, visited Morocco and shopped in the Casbah. They cruised to Florida and Aruba, flew to Rome and stayed several nights in Venice. From Rome they cruised to visit the Greek Islands. They also traveled to Hawaii, Arizona, Nevada and California.

A celebration of her life will be held on Friday, July 12th and will begin at 11:00 am followed by a service of shared memories at 12:00 pm in the Russell J. Boyle & Son Funeral Home, 142 Centerville Road, Warwick. If you would like to prepare a few brief memories of how Edith touched your lives, there will be an opportunity to share.

Friends and neighbors are invited to attend a lunch buffet at Gregg’s Restaurant on Post Road in Warwick immediately after the celebration.