Claudine G. Oakland

Claudine Georgette (Hatat) Oakland, 87, originally of Epernay, France, passed away peacefully with her family at her side on October 14, 2026, at Tockwotton on the Waterfront in East Providence, Rhode Island. She was the daughter of the late Roger Alex Marceau and Georgette Amelie (Adnot) Hatat. Claudine was predeceased by her loving husband, Richard Francis Oakland.

Claudine’s memory will live on in the hearts of her brother Bernard Hatat, his wife Nadine of Avize, France, her cousin Michel Mathieu of Eybons, France, and their families.

She will be forever cherished by her nieces and nephews: Susan McKenna, Cindy MacKenzie, Lynn MacDonald, Margaret Veresko, Eugene Oakland, Donald Oakland, David Oakland, Peter Oakland, Paul Oakland, Lawrence Oakland, and Christopher Oakland, as well as many great and great-great nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her brothers-in-law John Oakland, Joseph Oakland, Eugene Oakland, Lawrence Oakland, Jr., and sister-in-law Margaret Veresko, as well as her niece Patricia Ann Bushnell.

She will be lovingly remembered by her dear friends Danielle Feaster, Vita Cremin, and Susan Olson, with whom she shared countless happy moments, fond memories, and friendships that brought great joy to her life.

Claudine’s early years were shaped by hardship and loss, as she lived through the occupation of France until the age of five and lost her mother when she was just eight. Her grandmother, Clotilde, and her aunts, Yolande and Monique, lovingly cared for her.

Happiness smiled upon her when the Americans were stationed in Champagne, France, where she met her beloved husband Richard. They were married on Christmas Eve in 1960 in Épernay. She later arrived in America, where the Oakland family warmly welcomed her. Claudine proudly completed the naturalization process and became a U.S. citizen in November 1964.

Throughout her life, Claudine created beautiful and inviting homes in Rhode Island, Connecticut, California, and Florida, each showcasing her exceptional taste and gift for interior decorating. In 2009, Richard and Claudine returned to Rhode Island and settled in the coastal community of Bristol. Claudine moved to Tockwotton on the Waterfront in 2022, and Richard joined her the following year.

Claudine was a woman of exceptional beauty, both inside and out, whose elegance, warmth, and charm left a lasting impression on all who knew her. Always stylish and impeccably dressed, she had a natural flair for the chic and the unique. Her talent for home decorating transformed her surroundings into beautiful spaces that reflected her distinctive taste and eye for detail.

Claudine loved entertaining and was a gracious hostess who made everyone feel welcome. She also enjoyed travel and the special memories created with family and friends. Charming, warm, and genuinely caring, she had a gift for making others feel special and was truly easy to love.

Claudine will be remembered not only for her classic elegance, but also for the beauty of her spirit and the hearts she won along the way. She leaves behind cherished memories and will be deeply missed by all who were fortunate enough to know her.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday, November 3, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Gregory the Great Church in Warwick, RI. Visiting hours will be held prior to the Mass, beginning at 8:30 a.m., at Russell J. Boyle & Son Funeral Home, 142 Centerville Road, Warwick, RI 02886. A Committal Service at the Rhode Island Veterans' Cemetery in Exeter, RI, will take place on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Claudine’s memory should be made to HopeHealth Hospice or Tockwotton on the Waterfront.