Carolyn M. Plante

Born in Providence, she was a daughter of the late Lawrence and Virginia (Lane) Masse. Carolyn was the beloved mother of Elizabeth Winangun and her husband Agus, Kate Salvi and her husband Jayson, and Sarah Lefebvre and her husband Ketut Suwastawan; step-mother of Joan, Katherine, Matthew and John Plante; loving grandmother of Alexander and Indra Winangun, Anne Suwastawan, Eleanor, Lila and Emmeline Plante; and sister of Patricia Brown and her late husband Peter, and Steven Masse and his wife Maria. She worked in admissions at the Rhode Island School of Design for over thirty years, and mothered countless students and interns.

Carolyn (aka “Bunny” / aka “G-ma” / aka “Pez” / aka “Other Mother”) was the living embodiment of Ted Lasso’s “Be curious, not judgmental” mantra. She considered “20 Questions” to be just a warm-up, and she never met a stranger; different cultures, beliefs, and life experiences only sparked her eager curiosity and warm embrace. She had a deep love for the beach and taught us that swimming in the ocean can heal everything. She loved movies and Broadway shows, and rating them on a scale of 1 to 10. She would joyfully walk the streets of NYC, outpacing the grandkids, soaking in the art, architecture, and people. She was terrific at giving advice, even if it wasn’t always followed. She was informed about and interested in politics and current events, she enjoyed reading and the arts, and she made a heck of a banana bread.

Visitation will be held Thursday, September 3, 2026 from 4:00-6:00 pm in the Russell J. Boyle & Son Funeral Home, 331 Smith Street, Providence. Burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you pull up an extra chair for a stranger, listen without judgment, and ensure no one in your circle feels left out.