Melva E. (Cook) Hamel, 87, a retired registered nurse for the West Shore Health Center, passed away Friday, January 11, 2013 at the West Shore Health Center.
Born in Warwick, she was a daughter of the late Henry and Mary (Tiffany) Cook. Melva graduated in 1944 from the Roger Williams Hospital School of Nursing and was a veteran of World War II, serving as a lieutenant in the Army Nurse Corp. She was active in square dancing and camping groups, was secretary of the RI Federation of Square Dance Clubs from 1960 until 1986. She was an active member of the Hillsgrove United Methodist Church for over 50 years where she held a number of positions and was financial secretary for 35 years. She was a member of the Buttonwoods Senior Center, Jonah and Young at Heart Club.
She was the beloved mother of Gerald A. Hamel and his wife Donna; loving sister of Clifford Cook and the late Henry Cook, Florence Cook and Jacqueline Beck.
Her funeral service will be held Tuesday at 10 a.m. in the Thomas & Walter Quinn Funeral Chapel, 2435 Warwick Ave. Her visitation will be Tuesday 9-10 a.m. Burial with military honors will be in the Rhode Island Veterans’ Cemetery, Exeter. Information and condolences, visit TheQuinnFuneralHome.com.
