Donald Henry Angelo

Donald H. Angelo, 75, of Smithfield, passed away peacefully after a courageous battle with ALS surrounded by his loving family on August 4, 2026. He was the devoted husband to Deborah L. (Dettore) Angelo for 47 years.

Born in Providence, Rhode Island, he is the son of the late Henry and Antonetta (Pontarelli) Angelo. He had one brother, the late George A. Angelo, who passed away in 1967. Don graduated from Esek Hopkins Middle School, Mount Pleasant High School, Community College of Rhode Island, and received his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration from Roger Williams University. During his career he also attended and graduated from the National School of Lending at the University of Oklahoma where he finished in the top 10% of his class, Williams School of Banking at Williams College, and attended and taught some banking classes at Fairfield University in Connecticut.

Don began his career in banking right out of college. After working for a few years at Peoples Bank, he began a 23-year run at Citizens Bank where he became the National Sales Director for their Automotive Division after serving as Collections Manager, Credit Manager, and New England Sales Manager. He was eventually recruited four more times by other companies before he finished his career in 2015 with Crescent Credit Union in Brockton, Massachusetts. Don expanded the Automotive Finance Division for Crescent and also introduced a very successful Marine Finance Program in a partnership with Sterling Associates headquartered in Whitinsville, Massachusetts. He also served on the Senior Management Committee, Sales and Marketing Committee, and Special Projects Committee.

After his retirement in 2015, Don had become a member of the Rhode Island Italian-American Hall of Fame Committee, ACT (American Congress for Truth), and continued to serve The Sons and Daughters of Italy in America as a member of the Piave Lodge and the Grand Lodge of Rhode Island as a Past President as well as the Verrazzano Observance Day Committee. Additionally, Don served as a Mentor for the Warwick School Department, a Board Member for the New England Association of Retail Lenders as well as an Advisory Board Member for the United States Veteran’s Chamber of Commerce which was an organization championed by the late Nicholas Ferranti, Jr. of Cranston, Rhode Island. In 2017, Don had the honor of serving on the Republican National Committee Presidential Advisory Board.

Previously, Don served as President of the Verrazzano Observance Day Committee, Trustee of the Piave Lodge, and State Trustee of the Grand Lodge of Rhode Island.

Don was an avid Yankee fan, enjoyed traveling with his wife and family, and was the loving father of Jeffery R. Angelo and his wife Marcie DiOrio, the late Christopher R. Angelo, and cherished grandfather of Giuliana and Rosalia.

His funeral will be held Tuesday, August 11, 2026 at 8:45 AM from the PONTARELLI-MARINO FUNERAL HOME, 971 Branch Avenue, Providence followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 AM in St. Michael's Church, 80 Farnum Pike, Smithfield, RI. Graveside burial to follow in St, Ann Cemetery, Cranston. VISITATION MONDAY 4-7 PM.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Don’s memory to the R.I. Foundation here: https://rifoundation.org/funds/dettore-and-angelo-scholarship-fund