Roland Ciccone passed away on March 20th at 1:50 PM in Lake Alfred, Florida from heart failure caused by complications of COPD and emphysema. He relocated to Florida for health and economic reasons and was cared for by two wonderful, loving friends, Cathy and Frank Larkin. They took Roland into their home and cared for him until he died. We will never forget their extraordinary kindness and generousity.

Roland was born on August 30, 1942 and was the brother of the late Robert Ciccone of Norfork, Virginia, and the late Helen DelleFemine of Providence, Rhode Island. He is survived by his brother Anthony Ciccone of Barrington, Rhode Island; two nieces, Cara Ciccone of Stamford, Connecticut and Donna St. Martin of Providence, Rhode Island; and two nephews, his Godson Michael Ciccone of Boxborough, Massachusetts, and Anthony DelleFemine of Smithfield, Rhode Island. He is also survived by a great-niece, Grace Ciccone, and two great-nephews, his Godson James Ciccone, and Leo Ciccone, all of Boxborough, Massachuestts.

Roland will especially be remembered for his generous spirit. He cared deeply about people who were less fortunate than he, especially the young and elderly. 

Earlier in his life, he worked hard to help a struggling local family with young children, especially the oldest child who had been abused and become depressed. This led him to become a member of Big Brothers of Rhode Island, where he helped raise a boy to adulthood. Later in life, he was active in the Toys for Tots program at the Providence Gravure, where he worked for 37 years. For many years, he was also a volunteer driver for Meals on Wheels.

He was also a wonderful uncle to his nieces and nephews, showing up on Christmas Eve dressed as Santa Claus, with an enormous bags of toys. He loved taking his nieces and nephews for rides to the park, and for ice cream or lunch at Wrights Farm, one of his favorite Rhode Island restaurants.

Roland was the youngest of four children and took good care of his mother and father after his siblings left the house. He knew that his mother and father had always wanted a small piece of land where they could have a garden to grow tomatoes. He bought them a house on Sumter Street in Providence, Rhode Island, and for a few years, they enjoyed their garden and later died there.

After his parents died, Roland met Terry Brothers and they fell in love and became engaged. Although they never married or lived together, he thought of her as his wife.

Roland made friends easily and soon he became friendly with many of the elderly people who lived in Terry’s apartment building. They would call and ask if he could pick something up for them at the market or take them to the doctor or hospital. Mario was one of Roland's elderly friends who could not drive because of his eyesight. Always willing to help poeple in need, Roland drove him everywhere, and sometimes he would just take him for a ride on a warm Sunday afternoon.

My earliest recollection of my brother Roland was the summer of 1945, when he was almost 3 years old. My three siblings and I were staying at St. Frances orphanage in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, while my mother was recovering from surgery. Roland, even as a child, had a low, gravelly voice that always reminded me of a duck. I remember hearing him from the third floor window, and when I went to the window, I could see him walking hand-in-hand to the playground with our bother Bobby and sister Helen. The sight made me smile. The nuns had put poor Roland in a dress, to make it eaiser to change his diaper. So not only did he sound like a duck, but as he waddled along in the dress, he looked like a duck too. That image of him has never left me.

Today, he is again walking hand-in-hand with his brother and sister into the gardens of Heaven. I know he is happy to be reunited with his mother, father, sister, and brother, and, of course, his beloved pets, Princess and Buddy. I want him to know that we will miss him, and that we will pray for him.  May God take care of him and bless him forever.

Anthony Ciccone