Richard W. Wroe, 81, of Exeter, RI passed away on Wednesday, July 12, 2023. He was the beloved husband of the late Valarie (Reeves) Wroe and son of the late Richard and Janet (McIlwain) Wroe.
Richard graduated from Pawtucket West High School in 1960 and earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Mathematics from the University of Rhode Island, where he was a member of the ROTC and Sigma Chi Fraternity. He later served his country honorably as a U.S. Army Officer during the Vietnam War and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel.
Richard married Valarie in 1967 and settled in Warwick, RI, where they raised their daughter Heather (Wroe) Fielding and son Derek Wroe. Richard retired from Organon Pharmaceuticals in 2003 after a rewarding career of 25 years and moved to Valarie’s dream home on Cape Cod in East Falmouth, MA, sharing many wonderful summers, bare-feet in the sand on Old Silver Beach, with family and friends. Eventually, Richard and Valarie returned to Rhode Island to be closer to family, with Valarie passing in 2020, after 53 years of loving marriage.
Richard made friends wherever he went with enduring friendships dating back to high school and college. He touched the lives of many with his warm sense of humor, a unique ability to make others smile, his loyalty, his generosity, his fighting spirit and enduring optimism.
Richard (Papa) was, above all, a devoted family man. Whether sharing a meal or attending youth sporting events, his children and grandchildren were clearly his greatest joy. He is survived by his daughter Heather Fielding, her husband Brian, and his grandchildren, Troy, Seneca, and Chloe Fielding of North Kingstown, RI, in whose lives he was and remains deeply rooted. He is also survived by his son Derek Wroe, his wife Jhi Quann, and his grandchildren Aidan and Ryan Wroe of Honolulu. His love for them inspired him to adopt and cherish Hawaiian culture and to make treasured, yearly five-week trips to Honolulu, where he cultivated a Life of Aloha.
His funeral was private.
Kindly visit the Fagan-Quinn Funeral Home online for information and online condolences, www.TheQuinnFuneralHome.com
