Joseph G. Turcotte

Joseph G. Turcotte, 78, of South Kingstown, died at home on Saturday January 24, 2015. He was the beloved husband of Carol (Reid) Turcotte. The couple was married for 52 years. Born in Boston, MA on Christmas Day 1936, he was a son of the late Joseph G., Sr. and Mary (Murray) Turcotte. Mr. Turcotte served honorably in the United States Naval Reserve for 7 years. An ordained Deacon in the Diocese of Providence, he retired last year after 20 years of combined service at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Wakefield and most recently at St. Bernard Church in Wickford. Mr. Turcotte held advanced degrees from the Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, The University of Minnesota and Providence College. He was employed at The University of Rhode Island, College of Pharmacy as a professor and internationally recognized researcher in the fields of anticancer, antiaids and antihypertensive drugs, and respiratory disorders of neonates and children. Mr. Turcotte leaves five children; Mary Sawyer and her husband John of Ashaway, Jane Kenyon and her husband Peter of West Kingston, Daniel Turcotte and his wife Julie (Records) of Wakefield, Hilary Sullivan of Narragansett, and Dawn Gomes of Central Falls. His grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Jason, Peter, Timothy, Anna, George, Megan, Sarah, Emily, Brian, Sam, Katie Mae, Olivia, Haley, James, George Jr., Gracelyn, and Ryan will miss Grampa’s and Great Grampa’s unconditional love, wit, wisdom, stories, and blackboard instruction. God bless you beloved Grampa. Mr. Turcotte also leaves behind his brother Dr. Robert Turcotte of El Paso, Texas, and a sister, Sister Mary Clement Turcotte. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 am Saturday, January 31, 2015, in St. Francis of Assisi Church, 114 High Street, Wakefield. Burial will follow in St. Francis Cemetery, Peace Dale. Visiting hours are at the Avery-Storti Funeral Home, 88 Columbia Street, Wakefield, Friday, 5-8 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to either The Cancer Center of South County Hospital, 100 Kenyon Avenue, Wakefield, RI 02879 or the Scallop Shell Nursing & Rehabilitation Center Activities Dept., 981 Kingstown Road, Wakefield, RI 02879.