Joseph A. Grande

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Joseph A. Grande, 83, of Warwick, died Friday, July 22, 2016 at Kent Hospital. He was the beloved husband of Lucie H. (Derouin) Grande to whom he was married for 55 years.

Born in Providence, he was the son of the late Joseph Grande and Anna (Romano) Grande. Joe served honorably as a United States Navy Seabee during the Korean War. He was a graduate of Bryant University and Rhode Island College where he earned a Master of Education Degree. He taught 9 years at Hope High School, was President of the Providence Teachers Union where he subsequently was employed as its first employee as Executive Secretary serving 24 years until his retirement in 1993. For 15 years prior to his retirement, he also was Treasurer of the Rhode Island Federation of Teachers and Health Professionals. In retirement, he was one of the founders of the Retirees Chapter of the Providence Teachers Union and its newsletter editor for several years.

He leaves two sons: Michael A. Grande and his wife, Karen, and Stephen J. Grande; and two grandchildren: Alexandra D. Grande Gerson and her husband, Gabriel and Nicholas D. Grande.

Visitation at the Urquhart-Murphy Funeral Home, 800 Greenwich Ave., Warwick will be from 4-7 p.m. on Monday, July 25, 2016. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, July 26, 2016 in St. Clement Church, 111 Long Street, Warwick. Interment will be private with military honors at the Rhode Island Veterans Cemetery, Exeter.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory to: Home and Hospice Care of RI, 1085 No. Main St., Providence, RI 02904 will be appreciated. For on-line messages of condolences, kindly visit www.murphyfuneralhomes.org