Audrey Lorraine Earley

Audrey Lorraine Earley (Connetti), age 77, died of cancer at her home on August 19th, 2024 surrounded by her family. Audrey is survived by her loving husband, John, who she was married to for 36 wonderful years. Audrey leaves behind her children Dawn Kenney (John) and Jennifer Dawson (Mark), along with bonus-children Randy Earley (Alison), Melissa Brum (John), and Rebecca Francis (Billy). She also leaves behind eleven beloved grandchildren and three great grandchildren.

Audrey was born to Michael and Marion (Boucher) Connetti on October 7th, 1946 in Providence, RI. She was raised in Smithfield, RI – a place she called home for 52 years. Audrey and her husband John moved to Harmony, RI briefly before moving to their final home in Punta Gorda, FL in 2004.

Audrey is a 1964 graduate of St. Clare High School in Woonsocket, RI. She continued her education at the Community College of Rhode Island. Audrey was a natural at caring for others and gravitated towards careers where she could help people, including the many years she served as a director at New River group home in Manville, RI. When she moved to Florida, she also spent time as a nanny for a nearby family.

In her spare time, Audrey loved taking care of her yard and home. You could often find her outside riding on her tractor. She took much pride in cutting her lawn (making it look "just so"), planting flowers, and tending to her vegetable garden. Audrey felt the special presence of her father when she was tending to her yard, as this was something he instilled in her as a young child. When not outside, Audrey found joy inside her home by decorating for holidays or by trying out a new recipe. Audrey took pride in everything she did. She was a devout Catholic who found joy and hope in her faith. She shared this strong faith with her family, friends, and community, and enjoyed teaching religious education for many years at St. Michael's Church in Smithfield, RI.

Audrey was the matriarch of her family. You would often hear her say "family is everything", and that was her motto! Audrey made everything she touched special – from dressing up and acting as Santa at Christmas, to baking birthday cakes, pies, and her famous lemon squares. As she often said, "it was made with love". To say she was dedicated to her family is an understatement. Audrey had numerous cousins and friends who she kept close relationships with. She coordinated many get-togethers with her high school friends and they spent hours reminiscing about their younger days and catching up on their current lives. Audrey loved to have a good time and was often the life of the party. From Halloween to weddings, Audrey was always dressed for the occasion. She lit up the room by not only her smile, but also by her huge heart that everyone felt as soon as they met her. She was a true gem.

To know Audrey was to love her. In some ways, Audrey was an angel. She shared her knowledge and wisdom, but most of all, her genuine love. She showered others with love daily by lending a helping hand or a shoulder to cry on, sharing a cup of coffee, and best of all, by her warm hugs and contagious smile. The biggest smile on her face was most prominent when she was spending time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Audrey was loved by so many and will be truly missed each and every day by her family and friends.

The family would like to extend a special note of gratitude to the Tidewell Hospice nurses who took such loving care of Audrey during her illness.

A Catholic Mass will be held to celebrate Audrey's life on September 18th, 2024 at 10:00am at St. Michael's Church, 80 Farnum Pike, Smithfield, RI. Burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Gloria Gemma Foundation at: gloriagemma.app.neoncrm.com/forms/online-donation or donations may be sent to: 249 Roosevelt Ave., Pawtucket, RI 02860 in memory of Audrey Connetti Earley.