Robert Joseph Carbone

It is with profound sorrow that we announce the passing of our father, Robert J Carbone, on August 14, 2025, five days shy of his 94th birthday. Born in Providence, RI, the son of the late Joseph and Agnes "Mae” (Smith) Carbone, Bob was the husband for 75 years of his beloved wife Elaine L (Chassey) Carbone. He was the father of four children, Thomas J Carbone and his wife Jeanne, Linda E. McNamara and her husband John III, Stephen P Carbone and his wife Cheryl, and Patricia E Colgan and her husband Christopher. He was the proud grandfather of twelve grandchildren, Lisa E (Carbone) Schoonerman (Christopher), John J McNamara IV (Caroline), Thomas J Carbone Jr (Nina), Patrick R McNamara, Lauren J (Carbone) Piagari (Matthew), Melissa E (McNamara) Rodger (Justin), David R Carbone (Samantha), Christina C Carbone, Robert J Carbone II (Alyssa), Stephen P Carbone Jr, Christopher R Colgan, and Elizabeth E Colgan. He was the great-grandfather of Cayden, Taylor, and Peyton Schoonerman, Jack and Myra McNamara, Emilia and Anthony Carbone, Charlotte and Poppy Piagari, Virginia and Bennett Rodger, and Kendall Carbone. Bob was the brother of the late Marilyn E Davis and the late Thomas L Carbone.

Family was his greatest pride and joy followed by the business that he founded in 1953. For the past 72 years, Bob and his family nurtured the RJ Carbone Co’s humble beginnings into one of the major wholesale floral distributors in the Northeast. Bob was an early proponent of importing fresh cut flowers from South America. This practice caused Bob to redefine his business model and contributed greatly to the company’s growth. Among his business affiliations, he served on the Board of Directors of two national trade associations, The Wholesale Florist and Floral Suppliers of America, culminating as President in 1988, and the American Floral Endowment, culminating as Chairman in 2001. He was a past member of the Cranston Rotary Club and was inducted into the Cranston Hall of Fame in 1991.

Bob and Elaine enjoyed traveling for business and pleasure. They spent 30 wonderful winters in Palm Springs, California, with their family and dear friends.

His cup runneth over.

Visitation will be held Thursday, August 21, 2025 from 4:00-7:00 p.m. in the Russell J. Boyle & Son Funeral Home, 142 Centerville Rd, Warwick. Relatives and friends are invited to celebrate a Requiem Eucharist on Friday, August 22, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. in St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 99 Peirce St, East Greenwich. Entombment will follow in Swan Point Cemetery, Providence.

Contributions in his memory may be made to the St. Jude Children’s Hospital, www.stjude.org or the Shriners Hospital for Children, https://www.shrinerschildrens.org/en