JOAN MARIE (Rooney) WILKICKI

WILKICKI, Joan Marie (Rooney), 88, formerly of Matteson Rd., Coventry, passed away on Saturday, September 28, 2019, at Riverview Healthcare Community.  

Born in Stoneham, MA, she was a daughter of the late Hugh and Alice (Costello) Rooney.  

Joan was a proud graduate of Boston College with a Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing.  She was an owner of a nursing home for a time and loved working as a pediatric nurse.  Eventually, she became the Director of Nursing at the RI Medical Center before retiring from state employment.  Joan was active in town, state, and national politics, as well as volunteering for charities like Muscular Dystrophy Association and adult literacy.  She was also a lover of books, crossword puzzles and Jeopardy, pets, wildlife, nature, gardening and travel.  But her love for children was paramount, even resulting in her use of a pistol to shoot an aggressive snake out of a tree in defense of neighborhood kids.  Joan was an avid Red Sox fan and an honorary citizen of Aruba.

She is survived by seven children, Patricia Jarvis (Joseph), Joseph Wilkicki, Jr. (Laura), Karen Massarone (Peter), Susan Chandler (Scott), Hugh Wilkicki (Maureen), Stephen WIlkicki (Wendy) and John Wilkicki (Robin); two sisters, Patricia Simmons of Florida and Joyce Notine of Newton, MA; 15 grandchildren and 8 great-grandchildren and counting!  Joan was predeceased by her youngest child, Sean Michael.

Joan’s family would like to thank the caregivers of Riverview and Hope Health for their compassionate attention to her needs over the past several weeks.

Her funeral will be held on Thursday, October 3, 2019 at 9:00 am from the Iannotti Funeral Home at MAPLE ROOT, 2000 Nooseneck Hill Rd. (Rte.3), Coventry, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 am in SS. John & Paul Church, Coventry.  Interment will follow in St. Joseph Cemetery, West Greenwich.  Visiting hours Wednesday, 4-7 pm.  In lieu of flowers, donations to the Paralyzed Veterans of America (pva.org) or the Sean Wilkicki Scholarship Fund through the Coventry Teacher Alliance, c/o Coventry High School, 40 Reservoir Rd., Coventry, RI 02816, would be appreciated. 

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