Dorothy Ann "Zagarella" Thibodeau

Dorothy Ann (Zagarella) Thibodeau, 84, of Lincoln, RI passed away peacefully in the comfort of her home with her daughter at her side, Monday, March 2, 2026. She was the wife of the late Richard Michael Thibodeau.

Born February 3, 1942, in Providence, RI, she was the loyal daughter of the late Eugene and Margaret (Grande) Zagarella. She leaves her devoted daughter Laura Thibodeau of Lincoln, RI, her sister and brother-in-law, Sandra and Peter White Sr. of Jamestown, RI, and her sister-in-law Mary Zagarella of Warren, NJ. She was preceded in death by her brother Eugene Zagarella. She was cherished by all her nieces and nephews: Peter White, Sherri Slade White, Michelle Iacovelli, Jason Iacovelli, Kerri Heilman, Bill Heilman, Craig Zagarella, Lisa Zagarella, Glenn Zagarella, and Lola Zagarella, along with her nine great nieces and nephews.

She graduated from Mt. Pleasant High School, Providence, RI in 1960 and spent the first half of her life in Providence, RI. She used to recall many wonderful times at family dinners, trips with friends and family to the beach, and going to the movies. She also reminisced often about her trips to California and Hawaii with her friends. She lived in Lincoln, RI the second half of her life with her husband and daughter. She was a devoted wife and mother and an active member of St. Jude's Catholic Church where she taught CCD. Dorothy loved being home and spending time with her family. She had a huge heart and enjoyed the simple life. She loved to cook for her family. Some of her well-known dishes were pork roast and potatoes, stuffed artichokes, spaghetti and peas, scalloped potatoes, tapioca pudding, chicken cordon bleu and date nut bread. Being Italian, pasta was a staple in her household and she could eat it every day.

She loved animals especially cats and dogs. She loved to play games and loved being around children. She loved to talk about the weather, politics and what was going on in the family and the world. She reminded us all when the clocks needed to be changed and when a storm was coming. She enjoyed working in her vegetable garden. She loved doing yard work, especially mowing the lawn, which was usually followed by an ice cold beer (Bud Light preferably). She loved the warm weather and had a wonderful personality. She had a great sense of humor, was compassionate, loving, caring, self-less and the glue that held the family together.

Dorothy's life was far from easy, she was a caretaker for her mother and lost her husband suddenly to a heart attack. She also had her own share of physical illnesses which left her unable to do many of the things she loved later in life. Despite all this, Dorothy was a fighter who showed great strength and perseverance. She was strong and courageous and never let her illness dampen her true spirit of kindness, compassion, humility and pure love to all she knew. She will be greatly missed by her family, friends and close caregivers she had to the very end.

Services for Dorothy were private with burial at St. Ann Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations are greatly appreciated to the American Stroke Foundation, the RI Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Easterseals or to HopeHealth Hospice and Palliative Care.

Please share memories and condolences at www.WoodlawnRI.com...