Mary Angelina Cannistra

Mary Angelina Cannistra

NORTH SMITHFIELD - Mary Angelina (Cincotta) Cannistra, 103, of North Smithfield passed away peacefully at

home on

December 16, 2024,

surrounded by her loving family. Born in 1921 in Waltham, Massachusetts, she was the beloved wife of the late Francesco Cannistra, MD and the daughter of Antonio and Mary (Palamara) Cincotta. She was predeceased by her brothers Felix E. Cincotta, Esq. and Joseph A Cincotta. Mary is survived by her three children Stephen A. Cannistra, MD of Needham, MA, Linda M. Cannistra and her husband Michael G. Lennahan of Smithfield, RI, and Anthony J. Cannistra, MD and his wife Lauralyn B. Cannistra, MD of Cumberland, RI. She was the cherished grandmother of two devoted grandchildren, Anthony F. Cannistra, PhD and Stephanie M. Cannistra.

She graduated with a major in business administration in 1942 and thereafter became the Finance Manager of Mendelsohn's, Inc. until 1954 when she married the love of her life, Francesco Cannistra, MD, and become a devoted wife and mother. Mary cherished her roles as wife and mother, supporting her husband in his professional medical career, as well as providing loving guidance for her three children, who went on to develop prominent professional roles in medicine and medically-related fields. She supervised the business aspects of her husband's medical practice with keen acumen and also volunteered for 30 years in the Finance Office at Thundermist Health Center in Woonsocket, RI, where her husband, Francesco Cannistra, MD, was the founding medical director.

In recognition of her devotion to her husbands legacy and to her dedication to Thundermist Health Center, at the age of 98 Mary gave a warmly received speech at Thundermist's 50th Anniversary Celebration, honoring her husband, Francesco Cannistra, MD as Thundermist's Founding Medical Director. Her husband always viewed her as his raison d'etre, and her children admired her as their source of wisdom and strength.

Mary's funeral will be held Friday, December 27, 2024 at 10am from the TUCKER-QUINN Funeral Home, 643 Putnam Pike, Greenville, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 11am in St. Michael Church, 80 Farnum Pike, Smithfield. Burial will be private at Calvary Cemetery, Waltham, MA. Celebration of Life will include visitation in the Funeral Home on Thursday, December 26, 2024 from 4:00pm to 7:00pm. In lieu of flowers, the family wishes to honor Mary's life by encouraging donations to Thundermist Health Center (thundermisthealth.org/donate/).

For Online Condolences visit, TuckerQuinnFuneralChapel.com