HAMEL, RITA E. (BRUNEAU) 88, of Harvest Drive, passed at home surrounded by her loving family, on Wednesday, March 28, 2018. She was the wife of René R. Hamel for 67 years. A lifelong resident of the Pawtuxet Valley, she was the daughter of the late Juliette I. (Paquin) Bruneau and the late Adrien Bruneau.
Rita worked at various textile mills in the Valley. She later was employed in her husband’s business Hama Armature Co., Inc. until retiring. Bowling was her passion, achieving many perfect games! Rita also enjoyed knitting, and she was a voracious reader. Rita was a devoted fan to all New England Sports, always enjoying a game on TV and discussing the games with her family. Rita also enjoyed spending vacations with her family at her home in Center Conway, NH.
She was the mother of Renée R. Wickham and her husband John, Joyce A. Bradshaw and husband Michael, Sheila L. Socha and husband John, all of Coventry, Janice M. Theroux and husband Matthew of West Warwick, and the late Arline R. Fontaine and Denise Hamel. Rita was the grandmother of Crystal (Dave) Gaouette, Monique (David) Boulanger, Chasity Socha (Michael Hogan), John M. Socha (Courtney Crone), Allyson Holihen (Jared McLaughlin), Aimée Holihen, Adam Wickham, Kyle Bradshaw and Cady Butson; great-grandmother of Trevor Gaouette, William Correia IV, Thomas McLaughlin, Cameron Boulanger, Shanna Correia, Amber Gaouette, Lorelai Socha and the late Travis Gaouette.
Her funeral will be Tuesday, April 3, 2018 at 9 am from the IANNOTTI Funeral Home, 415 Washington St. (Rte.117) Coventry, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 am in St. Vincent de Paul Church. Interment in St. Joseph Cemetery, West Warwick. Visiting hours Monday 4 - 7 pm.
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of RITA E. (BRUNEAU) HAMEL, please visit our floral store.