Mario D. Petrarca

Mario was born in West Warwick but grew up in Providence. As a young teenager, he apprenticed in making and repairing shoes. At just 19, he bought a bus and retrofitted it with shoe repair equipment. Roadside Shoe Repair was born, a cobbler business that made house calls.

After a few years, just months before Pearl Harbor was bombed, Mario was drafted. (He and four of his brothers served at the same time). Eventually, S. Sgt. Petrarca was shipped to Alaska and Canada during the building of the Alaska Highway. The Army made good use of Mario’s skills, making him Quartermaster in charge of shoemakers, tailors and tentmakers. During that time he met and courted Vivian Evanson. They were married for 67 years when she passed away last December.

Mario and Vivian raised five children: the late Sharon Jackvony (East Greenwich); Murray Petrarca (North Attleboro); Susan Trabucco (Coventry); Ellen Menna (Cranston) and David Petrarca (Cranston).

After the war, Mario revived Roadside Shoe Repair, but this time it was at a storefront in East Providence. He was a staple of the Riverside community for over 50 years, retiring in 1998. Outgoing but unassuming, Mario referred to dozens of people as his “best friend.” And that was how he treated others--so kind and respectful that people couldn’t help but become loyal friends and customers.

Mario volunteered for decades in St. Edward Parish in Providence, the former Finnegan’s Council of the Knights of Columbus in Providence (where he was a Grand Knight) and with the Cub Scouts.

He leaves nine grandchildren, eleven great-grandchildren and four children-in-law who considered Mario a second father: Bernard Jackvony, Sandra (Melikian) Petrarca, John Menna and Paula (Cote) Petrarca. He also leaves two sisters, Carmela DeMeo (North Providence) and Anna Regine (Cranston) and three brothers, Felice (“Phil”)(formerly of Little Compton), Anthony (Ohio) and Elio (“Eli”) (North Providence). His brothers Leonard (“Lenny”), Raphael (“Ray”), and Ferdinando (“Fred”) and his sister Philomena (“Phyllis”) Heagney predeceased him.

Calling hours Tuesday 4:00 to 8:00 pm. Funeral Wednesday at 8:00 am from the PONTARELLI-MARINO Home, 971 Branch Ave, Providence. Mass of Christian Burial at 9:00 am in St. Edward Church, 997 Branch Ave, Providence followed by internment at St. Francis Cemetery, Pawtucket. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Home and Hospice Care of Rhode Island, 1085 North Main St, Providence, RI 02924 or online at hhcri.org.