Kyle Clearwater Brown, was born on December 29th in Westerly, Rhode Island. The youngest of Patricia Marguerite Riley Brown’s two sons, Kyle lives and works in the Pawtucket area.
And now some sad news:
Kyle and Brian’s father has passed away.
“Keith Romaine Brown, traditional Sub Chief of the Wiquapaug Eastern Pequot Indian Tribe Niantic- Narragansett, 70, of Wakefield, passed away on Thursday, November 11, 2021 at South County Hospital. He was the loving companion of Shirley (Everett) Brown. Born in Westerly, on July 3, 1951, he was the son of the late Raymond O. and the late Myra D. (Brown) Brown.
Keith worked as a machinist at Monsanto for a number of years as well as Stop & Shop. He enjoyed hunting, fishing and visiting local pow wows around New England. Keith was an avid genealogist and loved his culture and history. He passed many of these teachings onto his children, nieces and nephews. Keith was also a maternal nephew of the late 2-time Boston Marathon winner and 1936 U.S. Olympian Ellison ‘Tarzan’ Brown.”
The above is from Keith’s obituary published by Buckler-Johnston Funeral Home, Westerly, RI.
John Kostycz, beloved husband of Paula Mulligan, passed away at home in Porta Gorda, Florida on July 27, 2021. Born in Chicago back in 1945 to John Stephen Kostycz, Sr.(1908-1976) and Florence Kazmlerski (1917-2001), John was a high school teacher in the Chicago Public School System. After his retirement, John and Paula headed for Florida settling in Fort Myers. Frequent travelers, they really covered the world in their adventures. One of their best trips was a 40 plus day cruise circumventing Australia.
Paula and John a few years ago.John enjoying Dunedin Botanical Garden, New Zealand in 2015
John’s funeral service is scheduled for September 11, 2021 at the former St. Joseph’s Church, now called Holy Family Parish, 195 Walcott Street in Pawtucket – the church where they were married 51 years ago. I will post further information as soon as I receive it.
Sad news to post today. Connie Mulligan Welsh, daughter of Kathleen (Riley) Mulligan (1899-1988) passed away this past Wednesday, the 22nd of July.
Connie might have been petite, but her personality and warmth were enormous. You always felt special in her presence.
For years, Connie and her late husband Joe (1921-2003) hosted an annual Mulligan – Riley family cookout at their home in Foxboro. Grandma, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, cousins and 2nd cousins, in-laws, and maybe an outlaw or two, all gathered for a noon to dusk party. Joe would liven up the group with pronouncements punctuated with creative usage of some Anglo-Saxon phrases, until Connie ruled the day with a “we’ll have no more of that” stare.
All who knew Connie will miss her charming ways and lovely manner.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to her daughters, Brenda and Beverly.
Constance M. Welsh October 18, 1924 – July 22, 2020
Constance Marie (Mulligan) Welsh of Foxborough, MA passed away on July 22, 2020 at home. She was the loving wife of the late Joseph D. Welsh, who predeceased her in 2003.
Born in Pawtucket, RI, she was the daughter of the late William and Kathleen (Riley) Mulligan. She graduated from Foxborough High School in 1942, received her Secretarial Certificate from Pawtucket Business School and was employed at the Foxboro Company. While raising her family, she assisted in the family business, Welsh’s Dairy. After her family was grown, she was employed at Foxboro State Hospital and Wrentham State School in the medical records department.
Of all the places she visited or things she had done in her 95 years, Connie’s greatest enjoyment was being with her family. She is survived by her daughters Brenda Fayed and her husband Toman of Glastonbury, CT, and Beverly Pini and her husband A. Ross Pini, Jr. of North Attleboro. Also, her grandsons: A. Ross Pini III and his wife Meghan of Roslindale, MA, Ryan Fayed and his wife Brianne of West Hartford, CT, and Timothy Fayed of Jamaica Plain, MA, and her great grandsons, Grant and Nolan Fayed.
Also survived by her sisters, Marjorie Pacelli of Franklin and Janet Cushing of Tiburon, CA. She was the sister of the late Wm. Russell Mulligan.
A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 AM on Tuesday, July 28th in Saint Mary’s Church, 58 Carpenter Street, Foxborough. Burial will follow in Saint Mary’s Cemetery, Foxborough. Relatives and friends are invited to gather at the RJ Ross Funeral Home, 135 South Street, Wrentham Tuesday morning prior to Mass from 9:30-10:30 AM.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Connie’s memory may be made to the Friends of North Attleboro Animal Shelter at www.fnaas.org
Ray Matthieu, one of our cousins from the Greenhalgh family branch, has passed away. Ray Matthieu was a great nephew to “Grandma Riley” (Margaret E. Greenhalgh Riley 1876-1962).
Raymond S. Matthieu
His Obituary follows:
“Raymond S. Matthieu Jr. passed away Sunday May 17th with his family by his side, at his home in Attleboro, MA. He was 71.
Ray was born in Pawtucket RI, the son of the late Raymond S. and Margaret (Greenhalgh)Matthieu. He grew up in the Pinecrest neighborhood of Pawtucket and attended Pawtucket Vocational high school.
Ray was a decorated veteran who served in the U.S. Army 82nd Airborne from 1967 to 1969. During that time, he saw active duty in Vietnam and was awarded the Bronze star before his honorable discharge. For many years, Ray served as a firefighter and EMT for the city of Pawtucket. In 1989, he was honored by the Pawtucket City Council for his heroism in saving the life an unconscious elderly resident from a large apartment building fire. Later, Ray enjoyed working as a bus driver for RIPTA where he drove routes in Newport, RI.
Ray was an avid athlete and elite runner, having run in several marathons and finishing in the top 200 of the 1986 Boston marathon with an astounding time of 2 hours 37 minutes. A long-time hockey player and devoted member of Rhody Oldies hockey league in Pawtucket, he delighted in playing his favorite sport with his closest friends.
Ray is survived by his wife Jean, his sons Raymond [Trisha] Matthieu and Mark [Li] Matthieu, his step-sons Timothy [Sally] Doyle and Kevin Doyle, his beloved grandchildren Ian and Neve, and his devoted dog Molly.
Respectfully, Ray’s services will be private.”
I went to St Leo’s Grammar School with Ray, and saw him in and around Pawtucket all through our high school years. Ray was really a nice guy who always called me “Cuz.”
William Russell Mulligan was born in Pawtucket on this date in 1921 to the late Kathleen Agnes Riley (1899-1988) and the late William Frances Mulligan (1888-1970).
As best as I can remember he was always known by his middle name. A quiet, very intelligent and deeply caring man who always seemed to listen than expound. A bit of a rarity among our family tree male members, must be his Mulligan side was in dominate. My father, Patrick J. Riley (1900-1985) was Russell’s godfather.
The following has been gleaned from his obituary posted on the funeral home site:
Russell served in the U.S. Air Force in Europe during World War II. After the war he graduated from Northeastern University and later received a teaching certificate from Central Connecticut Teachers’ College, and taught in northwestern Connecticut for some years. In 1961, he earned a master’s degree in social work and worked as a clinical social worker at the Institute of Living in Hartford until 1964, when he returned to the Connecticut education system as a school social worker in the Newington schools until retiring in 1987.
Russell married Aileen Nettleton on April 18, 1964 in Hartford, CT
Upon retirement, he and Aileen moved to Stonington where he pursed his interests in oil painting, gardening, and travel.
Russell, was 83, when he passed on March 1, 2005, at following a long illness.
Russell had three sisters, Constance Welsh of Foxboro, MA., Marjorie Pacelli of Osterville, MA., and Janet Cushing of Tiberon, CA., and their families.
A memorial service was held in Foxboro, MA., with a private interment in the Calvary Church Memorial Garden in Stonington, CT
90, of Pawtucket, passed away peacefully with her family by her side, Thursday, June 27, 2019. She was the wife of the late Frederick Daley. Born in Pawtucket, she was the daughter of the late Patrick and Margaret (McSally) Riley. A lifelong resident of Pawtucket, Joan was a teacher’s aide for the city of Pawtucket School Department for 15 years before retiring. She is survived by her children, Tammie McNaught and her husband Peter, Maryanne Ricci and her husband Robert, Lynne Nelson, Elizabeth Mahony and her husband Thomas, and John Daley and his wife Deborah. She also leaves her brother, Dennis Riley and 11 grandchildren. She was the sister of the late Barbara Fleury, James and William Riley, and cousin of the late Margaret Silva. The funeral will be held Monday, July 1st at 9AM from the Costigan-O’Neill Funeral Home, 220 Cottage Street, Pawtucket, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11AM in Saint Teresa Church, 358 Newport Avenue, Pawtucket. Burial will follow in Mount Saint Mary Cemetery. Relatives and friends are invited. Visiting hours Monday from 9-10:30AM, prior to the Mass in the Costigan-O’Neill Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, donations to Hope Hospice & Palliative Care RI, 1085 North Main Street, Providence, RI, 02904, in memory Joan, would be greatly appreciated. http://www.oneillfuneralhomes.com
Patrick Leo Riley was born on June 7, 1875 in Pawtucket, RI, his father, Patrick, was 40 and his mother, Rose, was 32. He married Marguetta E. Greenhalgh in 1898. They had eight children in 16 years, Patrick Leo died on April 7, 1955 in Pawtucket at the age of 79.
Patrick Leo and Marguetta taken after their wedding in 1898.Patrick L and Marguetta taken on September 11, 1938
His sister, Rose Riley was born on June 7, 1887 in Pawtucket, RI. At the time of her birth, her father (Patrick) was 52 and her mother, Rose was 42. Rose never married and lived her life in Pawtucket. She was 85 years old at the time of her death on April 5, 1973 and was living at 181 South Bend Street. See the attached item.
Incorrect spelling of her mother’s maiden name. Correct spelling is Kieran.
The following is a post funeral write–up from the late afternoon edition of the Pawtucket paper describing Irish immigrant Patrick Riley’s funeral.
Evening Times of Pawtucket – pg 8, September 15, 1906
“The funeral of Patrick Riley, which was attended by many of his relatives and friends, took place today. (Sept. 15, 1906) His remains were taken to St. Joseph’s Church from his late home of 181 South Bend Street and the funeral service was held at 9 o’clock. It consisted of a high mass of requiem with Rev. Fr. Kiernan of Norwich, Conn. officiating, and after the mass Miss Lucy Smith sang “Jesus, Lover of My Soul.” The esteem and affection in which the deceased was held was attested by the large number of floral tributes. The funeral coriege included 100 carriages*. The bearers were Owen Keough, Bernard O’Toole, Patrick Fitzpatrick, and James K. Keough, life long friends of the deceased. Interment was in Mt. St. Mary’s Cemetery.”
* One of the grandsons, Patrick J Riley, said that people were still getting into their carriages down by 181 South Bend Street (across from the now McCoy Stadium) as the body was being carried into the church.
19 Pond Street 