FAMILY'S CHOICE CREMATION - Key Persons

Also being from R. I. Both Jim and I worked under the same radio ownership in Tucson AZ. He was hosting his talk show while I was across the hall doing my Morning Oldies program. We often would talk of our home state and what we missed about Rhode Island. Jim may you rest with Our Lord. Jim was a really good person.

Anna Friedman Prager passed away peacefully at the age of 87 years old on Saturday May 6th, 2023, while holding hands with her husband, Jan Prager. Anna and Jan made South County Rhode Island their home in the early 1960s and Anna left a notable legacy in the community where she lived and served for nearly six decades. Anna taught high school chemistry while raising her family and as her two children left for University, she too went off to school obtaining her Masters in Community Planning from the University of Rhode Island. This set the foundation for an impactful and distinguished career in Rhode Island in both local and state government that included a dozen years as South Kingstown town planner, a seat on the Town Council, policy positions in the Governor's office and a stint as board chairman of the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority. Anna also volunteered her time, most notably on the Board of Save the Bay, a cause that both she and her husband were passionate about. Over the years Anna received much recognition and many awards for her work - the one she was most proud of was "The Outstanding American Choice Award", a Federal award presented to naturalized US citizens who achieved extraordinary things in their lives. All of Anna's professional success was preceded by a childhood no child should endure and few knew until she decided to put pen to paper and shared her memories in her book, "I Remember". The Providence Journal also shared their own story of Anna and her book, titled "An Odyssey of Survival". Anna's book is a gift to her family and reminder for all to never forget the atrocities of war, specifically to children. Anna was likely one of the last Holocaust survivors left on Earth given she was only three years old when she and her parents were abruptly pulled from their home in Poland in 1939 and thrust into an unnecessary war. Thankfully, Anna, her parents, Temma and Jack Friedman, and her sister, Rosemary, survived and made their very long journey to the US. Anna is survived by a growing family who will miss her dearly. She is survived by her husband of 64 years, Jan Prager and her two children. Anna was the loving grandmother of five and great-grandmother of five. Anna was also a loving sister to her sister, a loving aunt of two and great-aunt of five who she also adored. Anna was obsessed with all the "grands" and "greats-grands" as she called them. Anna Prager was a woman who lived life, a woman who defied hardship, and a woman who inspired many. Donations in Anna's name may be made to the Holocaust Museum in Washington DC and to Save the Bay Rhode Island. A memorial service will be held at a later date.

I worked with Jim at WERI in Westerly, R.I. back in 1980 and 1981. He had a magnetic personality and a fantastic sense of humor, and we became good friends. My condolences to the Parisi family.

We went through and survived a lot. He had the best years of his life with one of the most wonderful women in the world. Physically he ain't here but like our Mom he ain't left. Love you Jack.

So sorry for your loss. My condolences to you and your family. Fred was a great man. I remember having coffee with home and my uncle talking about marching bands and listening to the stories they both told about drum and bugle trips to different states. Fred was a great person to have conversations with about anything.. He will be missed. ❤

Job Titles:

• Funeral Director

Brian is a dedicated and compassionate Funeral Director and Funeral Preplanning Specialist, with comprehensive and expansive expertise directing all aspects of funeral service. He joins our team as a Funeral Director, as well as the Director of Advance Planning. As the Director of Advance Planning, Brian provides families with compassionate guidance to preplan their funeral service in advance. This alleviates doubt about their desired wishes and lessens the burden on their loved ones, allowing for a more peaceful grief experience… Brian joins our team with more than 30 years experience in the funeral industry. He was a 1987 graduate of Bishop Connolly High School, Fall River, Massachusetts He received a degree in Mortuary Science from New England Institute of Applied Arts and Sciences in Boston, Massachusetts in 1989. Brian is a Licensed Insurance Agent and holds dual funeral and insurance licenses in three different states. He is also a Licensed Crematory Operator. Brian is a member of the RI Funeral Directors Association, as well as the National Funeral Directors Association. When he is not serving families, Brian enjoys spending time with his wife of more than 25 years, Kristel. They are blessed with the love, light and laughter of their only child, Halie. Brian enjoys spending time with his family and friends, and loves to collect Legos and enjoys quahogging on the shores of New England. Brian and his family enjoy frequent trips to the White Mountains and Disney World.

So sorry for your loss Kristen. The day I met you I met your father. We had lunch and he was very happy in the casino!

Job Titles:

• Managing Director

Cathie is a fourth generation funeral director/embalmer. She learned from her grandfather and continues the Smith Family tradition, while moving things forward and keeping up with the latest trends and ideas about funeral service. Her parents met in Newport, while her mom, Rosemary (Smith) Alden was in nursing school and her father James Alden was in Officers Training at the Newport Navy Base. After a short courtship they were married and Rosemary followed Jim around the globe, with a son being born in Long Beach, CA…

He was the funniest guys I know. I went out to dinner with him in the Spring and he had so much life and funny wit in him. I can't believe he's gone. I will miss him but always remember the fun we had together. - Chris Walsh

So sorry for your loss. Your dad/Papa was an amazing , caring and funny man. He always welcomed my daughters and I with open arms, it was a blessing to be part of many family gatherings, lots of laughs, great food and traditions. I remember one time he even got Armenian food so I could try it. Sending many thoughts and prayers to all of you...

With deepest sympathy Brenda, to you and your family - love and remembrance, Cynthia Hoffman.

Jim and I communicated often by email over the past 10 years, talking about family, movies, photography, politicians, website design, radio podcasts, and more. Loved hearing his deep voice on his radio podcasts, especially when he reminisced about family and growing up in RI. We were so happy to see and talk with him a couple of times this past year, and to meet his daughter, Samantha. He will be deeply missed. --- Cousin Dave

Edward Pisani, 80, of Warren, RI, passed away on Friday, March 24, 2023 surrounded by his loving family. A son of the late Edmund and Josephine (Yurewicz) Pisani, Edward grew up in Franklin, MA before going off to Bentley University to earn a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting. He worked as an Accountant and Computer Analyst for DCF and later moved to Attleboro to raise his family, where he remained until moving to Warren in 2019. To his family and friends, Edward was the smartest person they had known. "Papa" as he was called by his grandchildren, was known as a great debate partner and a Jeopardy Expert. Edward was an amazing cook, with his specialty being Italian food, and was always the designated Grill Master. He always spoke his honest mind and one always knew where they stood in his eyes. Edward had a great sense of humor and loved to tease his loved ones. If he teased you relentlessly, he really liked you. He loved watching old Westerns, especially "Gunsmoke", but most of all, Edward loved being with his family and friends. He had a huge heart and will be remembered as a great Father, Brother, Grandfather and Friend. Edward is survived by his daughters, Kimberly Difonzo of North Attleboro, MA, Karla Buker and her husband Paul of Weymouth, MA, Kristen Pisani of Cumberland, RI and Kori Pisani and her husband JJ Pereira of Warren, RI; his brother, Paul Pisani of Franklin, MA; six grandchildren, Brandi, Ashley, Kristy, Misty, Jacob and Amber; and three great-grandchildren, Phoenix, Meadow and Jordan. He was the father of the late Kerry Pisani. Arrangements are with Family's Choice Cremation, 8 Schoolhouse Rd. Warren, RI. A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, April 8, 2023 from 1-3PM at Whites of Westport, 66 State Rd. Westport, MA. A Private family dinner will be held at 3:30PM. In lieu of flowers, donations cane be made in Edward's honor to HopeHealth Hulitar Hospice Center, 1085 North Main St. Providence, RI 02904. For tributes, please visit: www.familyschoicecremation.com.

Brenda, please accept my deepest care and condolences to you and your family. Elena Larsen

Georgette "Penny" DeLuca, 77, of Bristol, RI, passed away surrounded by loved ones on Wednesday, December 28, 2022, at HopeHealth Hulitar Hospice Center in Providence. Penny was born and raised in Bristol, where she graduated from Colt High School in 1963. She was the co-owner, and co-operator of the Chic Boutique Beauty Salon in Bristol for 22 years before her retirement where she thereafter retained a handful of loyal customers until just a few years ago. Penny was the daughter of the late George and Eva E. (Marshall) DeLuca and sister of the late Elaine Clarke. She is survived by two daughters, Gina (Medeiros) McKenzie and her partner Brian Scannell of Raynham, MA; Stacey (Medeiros) DeMello and her husband Henry of Fall River, MA, and four beautiful grandchildren, Sophie McKenzie, Tess McKenzie, Georgia DeMello, and Charlotte DeMello. A celebration of life and burial will be held privately. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to https://visitingnursehh.org/giving/. For information and on-line condolences please visit www.familyschoicecremation.com

Dad prepared me for an active life from early on. My first memory is dad trying to teach me to ride a bike, I'm a dumb 4 or 5 year old, and the first time I go without training wheels, I go right into a tree. From introducing me to sports, even coaching me in soccer and baseball, to fishing. He loved fishing with me and my brother. I forget what year it was, but we fished on a boat on dad's birthday on lake Manassas, it was his birthday, but he was so happy to see his son catch the big fish that day. Dad was very instrumental and supportive of everything I did. He is a loving and caring father.

I want to spread my deepest sympathy to Billy and his family at this time. I didn't know Billy's family but I know Billy young from the Cambridge program. I been at the program for 15 years. Billy is a great guy and I see he comes from a great family. I wanted to say John Joseph Young r.i.p. gone but never will be forgotten. God bless the Young family and friends. Hugs to you all.

I was stationed with John at Loring AFB in Maine ( now deactivated). It was the first assignment for both of us. We were roommates and worked the same flight. On our three day breaks we would sometimes make the trip to his home in Southie. I met his brother Bill who had just gotten out of the Army. John came out to California with me to visit my family for a couple of weeks while on leave. I have nothing but good memories of John and we connected on Facebook a few years before his passing. I'm so happy he led a great life and was surrounded by people that cared for and loved him as much as I did. I could tell many stories of our crazy times spent as young men in our late teens and early twenties but I think I'll keep those memories to myself! Doug Cooley, MSgt, USAF Retired

John Joseph Young (aka Jack Young), age 66, died in his home in Tiverton, RI on May 18, 2023. John was born and raised in the Boston, MA area but spent much of his adult life in Washington, DC and on various military bases. After his retirement from the Air Force, John began his second career as a Federal employee. A quiet man, John preferred to be behind the camera lens instead of the center of attention. He was caring, considerate, and peaceful. In fact, his father-in-law aways called him "Saint John" because of his patience and serenity. John loved being with family, traveling with his wife, and was a devoted fan of all the New England and Boston sports teams. John was a dedicated civil servant of the highest integrity. He cared about the mission, and he cared about the people that made it possible. He referred to federal service as "doing the people's business." John was recognized nationally as a policy expert on the safeguarding of classified national security information which led to his recruitment in 2002 to be the founding leader of the Department of Homeland Security's Office of the Chief Security Officer. In this role, John was instrumental in drafting several Presidential Executive Orders and the related implementing directives. In the early 2000's, John began to dabble in photography, and he enjoyed it so much that he joined local galleries in Chesapeake Beach, MD and Occoquan, VA where he displayed his photos and supported other local artists. John's photographs touched on many subjects, including portraits, still lifes, landscapes and wildlife. Once John retired, photography became his passion. He won several awards, and his work was featured in several local papers and calendars. You could always find John behind a camera, and he loved to share his passion with his nieces and others who enjoyed photography. After moving to Rhode Island, John displayed his work in galleries in Bristol and Newport. John is survived by his wife, Brenda, his sons Jason and Justin, and his two grandchildren Sadie and Jadon. He is also survived by his brother William Young and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts and many friends. A Memorial/Celebration of Life will be held on May 28th from 1-4 PM at the Villages of Mount Hope Bay Clubhouse (120 Schooner Drive in Tiverton) and virtually for those that unable to attend in person, please use the following link to join the Celebration virtually via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83609452559 or call 1- 301-715-8592 and use the meeting ID of 83609452559. Memories of John will be shared at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift to Malloy Strong Fund at Lifespan Cancer Institute in memory of John Young. All funds raised will support the Lifespan Cancer Institute at Rhode Island Hospital. Checks made out to "Lifespan Cancer Institute" can be sent to Division of Philanthropy: P.O. Box H, Providence, RI 02901. Gifts can also be made online here: https://giving.lifespan.org/LCI . Donations can also be made in John's honor to the supporting hospice staff at Visiting Nurse Home and Hospice.

Job Titles:

• Chairman of the French Studies Department
• Professor

Born in Fairfield, CT, to the late Richard O. Walsh and late Joanne Walsh Sohrweide, his family moved to Lakeville, CT in 1974, where he attended the Indian Mountain School and was a 1980 graduate of the The Hotchkiss School, Lakeville. He earned both B.A. magna cum laude and M.A. from the University of Connecticut, Storrs and his Ph.D. from the University of California, Santa Barbara. Jonathan joined the French Department at Wheaton College in 1994 after having held visiting appointments at Middlebury and Bates colleges. He was awarded tenure at Wheaton in 2000 and promoted to the position of Professor in 2009. He is survived by his two sons, Nicholas of Los Angeles, CA; and Antoine (and daughter-in-law Yukiko Fukushige Walsh) and grandson Raymond of Kobe, Japan; sisters Deborah Rathbun of Sharon, CT, Barbara Hostetter of Boston, MA, and brother Tim Walsh of Marblehead, MA, and three nieces, four nephews. He is also survived by stepchildren Ella and Cooper Rudisill of Cranston, RI. A specialist in French Literature of the Enlightenment and the Early Modern period, Jonathan was a teacher who possessed an unwavering love for his craft. His scholarly contributions were extensive and deeply impactful. Much of his work focused on Enlightenment fiction, with his 2001 publication, "Abbé Prevost's Histoire d'Une Grecque Moderne: Figures of Authority on Trial". He also translated two novels by Madame de Tencin, and authored numerous articles and papers on figures like Proust, Montesquieu, and Edward Said. In his recent work, he delved into the salons of 17th and 18th-century Europe, with a particular emphasis on the influential role of women, or salonnières, in the Enlightenment. His interests and hobbies included sailing his CAL-33 masthead sloop ‘Hot Tuna' out of Bristol Yacht Club, and playing guitar and vocals in the band ‘Ghost Cat Rodeo' at venues throughout Rhode Island. Additional passions included fishing, skiing and cooking. Jonathan's belief in the inseparability of language and culture formed the cornerstone of his teaching philosophy. He reveled in sharing the richness of French culture and its contributions to the world of art and thought through films, novels, and essays. He believed that by mastering the language, one could gain access to an alternate universe of creativity and intellect. His dedication to nurturing a transformative experience for his students is considered one of his most profound contributions to Wheaton College. Jonathan David Walsh, Professor of French Studies and Chairman of the French Studies Department at Wheaton College, Norton, MA, died Tuesday, October 10, 2023 at home in Barrington, RI following a long illness. He was 61. Jonathan Walsh was an early faculty visitor to the Archives of Wheaton College, seeking to bring his classes to use Diderot's Encyclopedie. I have fond memories of those classes, and of talking with Jonathan about how Diderot and his compatriots tried to capture all of culture and knowledge in those volumes and engravings. I shall miss him. My sincerest condolences to his family and friends. Zephorene Stickney Helmreich, Wheaton College Archivist and Special Collections Curator, and College Historian, Emerita

I've known Anna for 45 years, starting from when I was a graduate student and she was the planner for South Kingstown. She was a mentor, then a colleague, and a friend. A truly remarkable, inspiring, and meaningful life. I consider myself lucky to have known her, and I will greatly miss her.

She was a remarkable person. My deepest sympathies Marlene Malik

Brenda & Family, I worked for John at DHS for several years until his retirement. He was and will always be considered by me and many here at the Department one of the greatest human souls we ever worked for and was associated with. He set the standards and was well respected across the Federal Government. I first heard of his illness a while back and was devastated by the news; however, John was no complainer and even though the doctors only gave him a few years to live, he continued to be upbeat with me on our FB messaging. On behalf of our family, please accept our sincere condolences for your loss - the Earth lost a great human being and he will be sorely missed. May God continue to watch over you and your family during your time of mourning. Respectfully, Michael & Kadriye Ness

I only just learned of Jim's passing today. I am saddened beyond words. I knew Jim for many years in Tucson, when I was the Director of The International Wildlife Museum. Jim was a huge supporter of the Museum, and we advertised and supported his Power Talk Radio venture. Jim was smart, honest and ethical. I enjoyed talking to him. My deepest condolences to Jhis family. Damn, I sure loved that guy!

I worked for John from January 2005 until his retirement in 2014. He hired me into federal service, mentored me, promoted me, mentored me a lot more, and then put in a good word for me to take his place when he retired. I am so grateful to have known him and thankful for the patient efforts on his part as he prepared me for the career I have today. Just last month I went into a project file that he had worked on in 2010 and used his work as a template for a major project this summer. He was a true public servant and quiet (but impactful) leader. His legacy at DHS will be around for years to come--both thorough the work he did and the people he touched.

With the Deepest Sympathy, may you get through this time through prayers and the comfort of friends. Love Tim Fleming

With all due respect , sending out strength and love to help the Sampson family in their day-to-day life. Fred has always been a great friend and companion through the years ❤️.. He will not suffer another day and will be home in Heaven. Surely he will be missed yet there will be a day of unification. He had the best smile ever and I am proud to have him in my life ❤️. R.I.P.. Fred

I am deeply saddened by the news. I knew Jonathan as a colleague for many years at Wheaton College. While we belonged to different departments, we often chatted about both academic and political trends in the nation and in the world at large. Jonathan always had a gentle smile and a soft-spoken style in conversations; one could disagree with him and yet never find him disagreeable in temperament. I am so sorry that we have lost a scholar-teacher of his caliber. His life was taken away too early. My deepest condolences to all members of his extended family. -- Vipan Chandra, Professor of History, Emeritus.