Elizabeth M. Cesario

Elizabeth M. "Betty" Cesario, 88, of North Smithfield, RI passed away March 8, 2017 at the Rhode Island Hospital.

She was born in Woonsocket, a daughter of the late Joseph & Georgianna (Marshall) Cesario.

Betty was founder of Betty Cesario Specialty Shop with locations in Woonsocket and North Smithfield. She was president of the North Smithfield Town Council in 1979 and was elected to the State Senate on June 21, 1983. She a was a member of the original North Smithfield Charter Commission.  She was a longtime member of the Quota Club and a volunteer at Hospice St. Antoine. She was an avid reader and Historian with special interest in North Smithfield town history. She loved to travel and her travels took her to Europe many times. She especially loved the Scandinavian countries. Her legacy was to leave most of her land to the State of RI, selling the development rights to them in June 2016 and then selling the agricultural rights to Wrights Dairy Farm. The Wrights have grown corn on her land for many years.

She is survived by a sister, Gloria Summerill of Boise, Idaho and a brother, Joseph Cesario Jr. of Narragansett and several nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her sisters, Lucy Gautieri and Jeannette Morris.

A funeral service will be held Monday at 11am in the Keene-Brown Funeral Home, 445 Greenville Rd., North Smithfield. Burial will be in St. Francis Cemetery in Pawtucket, Calling hours are prior to the service from 9:30-11am. In lieu of flowers donations maybe made in her memory to the Audubon Society of RI, 12 Sanderson Rd., Smithfield, RI 02917.

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