Chester H. "Chet" Rich III

RICH, CHESTER H. III 'CHET' 74, formerly of Brightwood Avenue, died Tuesday at Rhode Island Hospital. He was the husband of Alice M. (Johns) Rich. They had been married for 51 years.

Born in Providence, a son of the late Chester H. and Honora (Cullinane) Rich, Jr., he was a lifelong city resident.

Chet was a Captain with the Providence Police Department. He served for 31 years before he retired from the department in 1986. He later became the Director of Security for St. Joseph Hospital, Providence and Our Lady of Fatima Hospital, North Providence, before retiring in 1991.

He was a member of the Providence FOP-Lodge #3, and the Retired Providence Police & Firefighters Association. He was an Army veteran of the Korean War. He was a communicant and weekly usher at St. Augustine Church. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Law Enforcement from Bryant College in 1975, and a Masters Degree in Public Administration from the University of RI in 1983. Besides his wife, he leaves his children, John J. Rich (Connecticut State Police) of Pawcatuck, CT, James M.Rich of Smithfield, Thomas F. Rich, and Mary R. Dubosky, both of Cumberland, four brothers, Warren Rich, Alan Rich, Gregory Rich, and Stephen Rich; four sisters Ruth Bood, Geraldine Beaudoin, Priscilla Rich, and Leslie Rose, and seven grandchildren, Stephanie, Mark, Douglas, Zachary, Julia, Kathryn, and Lila. He was the brother of the late Margareta Cayer, Roberta Malarkey, Dorothy Owen, Janice Epstien and Gwendolyn Venditti.

The funeral will be held Saturday, at 8:45am, from the Russell J. Boyle & Son Funeral Home, 331 Smith St., Providence. Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 am in St. Augustine Church, Mt. Pleasant Avenue, Providence. Burial, with military honors, will be in St. Ann Cemetery. Visitation Friday 4-8pm. In lieu of flowers donations to St. Augustine School, c/o St. Augustine Rectory, 20 Old Rd., Providence, RI 02908 in his memory will be appreciated. www.boyleandsonfuneralhome.com