Known for her broccoli casseroles, homemade icebox cakes and grilled cheese sandwiches

From the Carpenter-Jenks Funeral Home website

Joan T. Carley, 94, of East Greenwich passed away on February 29, following a brief illness. She was the beloved wife of the late John M. Carley. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., Joan moved to Warwick in 1942 when her father became employed at Quonset Point. Joan was a daughter of the late James and Anne (Breslin) Abberton and was predeceased by her siblings James and Nancy Abberton.

Joan worked for several former and current companies in Rhode Island. She worked at Warwick Shoppers World, Industrial National Bank and, most recently, for Citizens Bank, until her retirement. Joan was an avid reader and surrounded herself with mystery and crime novels. She enjoyed spending winters in Naples, Fla., and traveling both home and abroad. She was always up for playing scrabble and board games with friends and family. One favorite pastime of Joan’s was going to yard sales and started hosting her own sales at the old Rocky Hill Flea Market in East Greenwich. She was very proud of her Irish heritage and enjoyed listening and singing to Irish music whenever she could, especially on St. Patrick’s Day with her daughter, Maureen. Joan loved planting flowers and her condo always was a site of beauty and comfort. Plants were her “soul” (soil) mate. Joan lived independently and was very proficient navigating the internet for everything; as a previous banker she managed her finances quite successfully (to the penny). Her family was most important to Joan and her children and grandchildren craved her famous broccoli casserole, homemade icebox cake and grilled cheese sandwiches. Joan was “Our Fair Lady” as she treated all people with kindness, fairness, and spark. Her email even was myfairlady….com.

Joan is survived by her children, Mark S. Carley and his wife Kit D’Angelo-Carley of Hopkinton, Mass., Maureen A. Phillips and her husband Dana Phillips of Warwick, and Christopher E. Carley and his companion Toni Laronga of Uxbridge, Mass.; and three grandchildren, Kelli Carley (Timothy McManus), Kari Carley (Kurt Garry) and Eric Phillips (Jacklyn Hem). She also leaves behind many nieces and nephews.

At Joan’s request, funeral services and burial will be private.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

EG News Obituary Policy: We post obituaries relevant to our readers. If you would like to share an obituary, send it to [email protected]. Put “obituary” in the subject line. 

Posted 3/17/24