Anthony E. Perretta

Anthony E. Perretta, 92, passed away July 24, 2022. He was the husband of the late Carolyn A. (Wilcox) Perretta. Born in East Greenwich he was a son of the late Alfred and Lena (DelPaggio) Perretta.

Anthony was essentially a lifelong resident of East Greenwich. He fondly remembered his youth, growing up in town where, as a teen, he worked at Zenga’s fruit market, Murray’s Cut-Rate, and as a pinsetter for the two town bowling alleys.  He was an altar boy at Our Lady of Mercy Church, and he attended the East Greenwich school system, before heading to LaSalle Academy in Providence for high school, where he excelled.

After graduating in 1947, Anthony enlisted in the U.S. Navy at age 17, where he served in The Atlantic Fleet.  During his Naval career, he spent much of his time between Dam Neck, VA, and “Gitmo” (Guantánamo Bay, Cuba), and achieved the rank of Electronics Technician, First Class.  He served honorably until 1954, and returned home to attend the University of Rhode Island, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering in 1958.

He married Carolyn in 1958.  They moved to Hackensack, NJ for a brief time before settling down in East Greenwich in 1961, where they would build a home, complete their family, raise their seven children, and spend the remainder of their lives.

Anthony loved living by the ocean, and the family spent time every summer at a beach house in Southern Rhode Island.  He relaxed by working in his garden, fishing, playing softball, bowling, reading the Providence Journal from cover to cover, completing the daily crossword, and playing cribbage with his friend Deb.

After his retirement in 1989, he spent some time travelling, but spent most of his free time with his kids and grandchildren, who he adored, and to whom he was lovingly known as “Pa.”

Anthony was a humble man, and a good man, and he will always be remembered as such.  Everything he did was for his family.

He is survived by seven children: David Perretta and his wife Debra, Jean Perretta, Claire Perretta, Paula Durvin and her husband Tom, Stephen Perretta, Edward Perretta and his wife Megan, and Anthony Perretta; five grandchildren: Diane Cook, Sarah Harvey, Elizabeth Durvin, Henry Perretta and Katherine Perretta; one great grandson Anthony Cook, and a sister Marie Forys. He was the brother of the late Alfred Perretta.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday July 29 ^th at 10:00 am at Our Lady of Mercy Church, 65 Third St., East Greenwich. Burial will be in St. Patrick Cemetery, East Greenwich. Calling hours and flowers are respectfully omitted.