Carolyn B. (Ruggiero) Vieira, 72, despite having endured and seemingly conquering a series of life threatening medical issues which arrived without warning back in June of 2023, passed away unexpectedly on Thursday, May 22, 2025.
Born in and a life-long resident of the North End of Providence, she was a daughter of the late Floriano and Hilda (Iadevaia) Ruggiero, the devoted mother of Richard Vieira, III, cherished grandmother of Victoria Evelyn and Ava Marie Vieira, and sister of Florette Ruggiero and Vivian Leahy.
After having graduated from Mount Pleasant High School in 1970, Carolyn’s “career” really took-off the following year, when she officially accepted the highly sought-after “devoted mother” position, which most people claim was always her dream job and at which she “clearly” excelled most at! Unfortunately though, that industry began to flutter, so she took on an additional full-time job which began at the City of Providence, followed by working for Bank of America, and then officially concluded at Nathan Bishop Middle School on the East Side of Providence due to her illness. Carolyn had also simultaneously had her hands busy part-time in the Aerobics industry, which she really enjoyed and considered very rewarding particularly because she was an instructor in nursing homes and in retirement communities where she was keeping the elderly healthy and moving!
All truth be-told, in her later years, what she genuinely enjoyed the most and considered the most gratifying part of her life was being called “Nana”. It meant so much to her because she knew that role, those shoes she was filling, her mom’s, my “Nana’s” was so important to me personally growing up, and now the title was hers and she was FABULOUS at it! Finally, as good she was in her first career, and as important the role of “Nana” was to her grand-daughters, what Carolyn ultimately really was the best at…SHE WAS SIMPLY A GOOD HUMAN BEING!
She spent the last six months living at and being cared for at home which really did bring so much comfort back into her life. As a family now, we are going to focus on the positives and not could haves or should haves. We made a difference, were part of the solutions, and she knew that and was grateful for that. So though it’s painful today and will be tomorrow, we will temper the hurt with knowing that she truly is in the most PEACEFUL place she ever could be! See ya soon…NANA!
Visitation will be held on Friday, June 6, 2025 at 9:00 AM at Pontarelli-Marino Funeral Home, 971 Branch Avenue, Providence, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 am in Saint Ann’s Church, 280 Hawkins Street, Providence. Burial will be held in Saint Francis Cemetery, Pawtucket.
For online condolences, please visit www.pontarellimarinofunerals.com
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