Dorothea R. Howard

Dorothea R. Howard, of West Greenwich, Rhode Island, and Fort Myers Beach, Florida, peacefully passed away on February 15, 2023, after an extended illness. She was the former wife of the late Kenneth D. Howard. She was born in Coventry, RI on July 19, 1939, to the late Albert and Antoinetta Asselin. She was the sister of Emma M. Newman and the late Roland J. Asselin, both of West Greenwich, RI. Dottie leaves behind two daughters, Dawne Rossi and her husband Steven, of West Greenwich, RI, and Darla Fratantuono and her husband Joseph of Cranston, RI. She was blessed with 9 grandchildren, Scott Howard; Joseph Sousa; Aliyah, Ciara and Brianna Fratantuono; Meghann, Steven, Madisson and Zachary Rossi. She also has 3 great grandchildren Christopher and Kenzley Houle; Zachary Londono. She attended Coventry High School, in Coventry, RI. She was a 20-plus year employee of Metropolitan Life on Route 2 in West Warwick, RI, where she worked in the building manager’s office. Prior to working at “Met”, she was employed by the Exeter-West Greenwich School District as a teacher’s aide. Dottie was a long-time resident of West Greenwich and the Lake Mishnock community where she grew up. As a teenager, she spent many joyful summers working and playing at the Lake Mishnock Grove. It was at the Lake Mishnock roller skating rink where she met her husband Kenneth during the 1960s. Dottie was active in the Lake Mishnock Fire Department Minstrel shows, where she was an endman that performed comic routines with her mother and brother. This was a major fundraiser for the fire department. She was an avid sales rep for Avon, attaining the status of President’s Club. She was the Director of the West Greenwich Summer Recreational program and volunteered with the Girl Scouts. She had a passion to travel, and loved organizing trips with MERA or her family. Dottie was often traveling to NYC, Broadway and Disney (over 25 times) with friends and family. Dottie was also an original member of Saints John and Paul Parish in Coventry, RI, where she sang in the choir and participated in many volunteer roles throughout the years. After retirement from Met Life, Dottie moved to Fort Myers Beach, Florida to join her sister Emma and became a member of the Saint Columbkille Parish. She volunteered weekly at their Thrift Shop. It was one of her most fun things to do. She also sang in the Indian Creek Chorus and enjoyed or volunteered in many of the park activities, including bingo, dancing, the bike club, and performing comic routines with her sister at various fundraisers. Her biggest joy in life was visiting with friends and family and making them laugh, both in RI and FL. She will be dearly missed by all who knew her. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Saints John and Paul in Coventry, RI on Saturday, February 25 at 11:00 a.m.

Tributes

Dorothea R. Howard

February 15, 2023