Norma M. (Plante) Pezzelli, 87, died Monday, August 6, 2018 at her beloved lakeside summer cabin on Johnson’s Pond in Coventry. She was the daughter of the late Joseph R. Plante and Helen (Gray) Plante.
Born in Providence, she grew up in North Providence where, save for brief stints in Barrington and in Georgia, she lived the greatest part of her life. A child of the Great Depression, she overcame polio at an early age and went on to play high school field hockey at North Providence High School. A gifted student, she later attended the University of Rhode Island and graduated with a degree in Zoology.
A licensed nursing home administrator for over forty years, and member of the Rhode Island Health Care Association, she was the proud owner and operator of Golden Crest Nursing Centre, Woonsocket Health & Rehabilitation Centre, and the former Elm Brook Home. At the time of her passing, Norma was still Administrator of Woonsocket Health, and left the facility with a 5-Star CMS rating, the highest rating possible.
Norma was a member of a variety of organizations. She was a member of the Sun Dial Garden Club and past president of the Fruit Hill Junior Women’s Club, a sister and active alumna of Alpha Xi Delta sorority, a member of Kirkbrae Country Club, the American College of Health Care Administrators, and many other organizations through the years. In June of this year she celebrated her 70th class reunion with her fellow members of the North Providence High School Class of 1948.
Norma had an infectious zest for life and a wide range of interests and activities. She loved the Arts in all forms. She was an avid water colorist, she regularly attended performances at Trinity Rep, she studied tap dancing, and loved Ragtime piano music. Her favorite piece was Scott Joplin’s “Solace”. She also enjoyed sailing and flying—she once took flying lessons, hoping to earn a pilot’s license—but business and insurance restrictions curtailed her flight career. She loved sports, golf in particular, and was a loyal Patriots fan. She was a keen Canasta player.
Norma had a special love for books and possessed a great personal library. Curious about just about everything and everyone, she read voraciously on whatever subject happened to catch her interest. She remained a dedicated student throughout her life, always learning something new, always eager to share and discuss whatever it happened to be.
Norma loved to travel and during her lifetime visited England, Europe, Central Asia, Russia, the Caribbean, Hawaii, and much of the United States. She loved Cape Cod. Wherever she went, she made friends.
Generous to a fault, Norma was quick to offer help to anyone in need. She adored children and supported a wide range of organizations dedicated to helping them. Her own children and grandchildren, however, came first in everything. She encouraged and supported them in countless ways when they struggled, and rejoiced with them at their every success. She was the heart of her family her entire life.
A lifelong Catholic, Norma had a deep, abiding faith and was devoted to Saint Francis of Assisi.
She was greatly loved and will be greatly missed.
The former wife of the late Pasquale “Pat” Pezzelli Jr. she was predeceased by her brother, Robert Plante, and daughter, Lauren Hickey, she is survived by her sister, Barbara Domenicucci, and brother, Mark Plante, and four children: daughters Susan Whipple and husband, Thomas, and Lisa Hall and husband Andrew, and sons Peter Pezzelli and wife Corinne, and Paul Pezzelli and wife Catherine. She also leaves ten grandchildren, Robert Catallozzi, Richard Catallozzi Jr., Kaitlyn Whipple, Michelle Nichols, Raymond Hickey Jr., Andrew and Gabriella Pezzelli, Kyle and Meagan Pezzelli, and Samuel Hall; and two great-grandchildren, Alexandra Nichols and Jaida Catallozzi.
Visiting hours will be held Thursday, August 9th from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. with funeral services on Friday, August 10th from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. from the Pontarelli-Marino Home, 971 Branch Avenue, Providence. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. in St. Augustine Church, 639 Mount Pleasant Avenue, Providence, followed by burial in St. Ann Cemetery, Cranston.
In lieu of flowers, donations to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at www.stjude.org/donate would be appreciated.
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