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. 

Patrice A. Tarantino, 68, of East Greenwich passed peacefully on April 16 at HopeHealth Hulitar Hospice Center after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer. She was the wife of John A. Tarantino.

Born in Merrick, N.Y., to the late Claire (Paré) McGovern and Robert F. McGovern, Pat grew up in Riverside, R.I., and later lived in Cranston before moving to East Greenwich 29 years ago.

Pat attended high school at Our Lady of Fatima and was a member of the first class of female graduates of Providence College in 1975. She later did post-graduate work and obtained her teaching certification from Rhode Island College. 

She met her husband, John, while they both worked for Training Thru Placement in the 1970s. After marrying, Pat taught at the Henry Barnard School, the Bernon School and St. Mary Academy – Bay View and was a dedicated homemaker and mother to three children. 

Additionally, she volunteered in numerous capacities, including for many years as a CCD teacher, as a G.E.D. certification teacher at the Gloria McDonald Women’s Facility, Department of Corrections, as an English teacher at Dorcas International and at the Catholic bookstore, Gabriel’s Trumpet, in Coventry. In the last year of her life, she was proud to serve as a Community Ambassador for the Papitto Opportunity Connection. 

Pat was a devout Catholic and member of Our Lady of Mercy Parish.

She is survived and lovingly remembered by her husband, John, her children Michael and his wife Vanessa, Lauren and her husband Luke Truman, and Christen and her husband Aric Bieganek, as well as four grandchildren Hazel, Henry, Eleanor and Joel, her sister Jeanne Marie Bull and her husband Robert and many additional family members and friends.

She touched many lives with her kindness, compassion, beautiful smile and generous spirit.

A Concelebrated Mass of Christian Burial will be held Friday, April 22, at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of Mercy Church, 65 Third St. Entombment will be at Saints Peter and Paul Mausoleum in St. Ann Cemetery, Cranston. Calling hours: Thursday, April 21, 4 to 7 p.m. at the Hill Funeral Home, 822 Main St. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Lifespan Institute, c/o Ryan Whalen, 139 Point St., Providence, RI 02903 or Our Lady of Mercy Parish.

You can leave an online condolence at the Hill Funeral Home website HERE.

Photo courtesy of Unsplash. Photo by Emily Finch (@emilydafinchy)