Roger M. Dufour

Roger M. Dufour, 79, of Portsmouth died peacefully on March 26, 2026 at Rhode Island Hospital after a short illness. Beloved husband, father, and grandfather, he was married to Mary Fitzpatrick Dufour for 56 years.

Roger was born in Pawtucket, RI on October 10, 1946 to the late Joseph and Irene (Ouellette) Dufour. He attended Saint Raphael Academy and received a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Providence College in 1968. Upon graduating college, he enlisted in the RI National Guard where he served for six years.

Roger began his career at the accounting firm of Peat Marwick Mitchell in Providence, eventually heading up the small business department. After earning his CPA, he ventured into private practice and built a successful solo business. In 1999, he established the firm of Dufour & Schmitt Ltd with his colleague Robert Schmitt who he regarded as family.  Roger attended to his clients with an extraordinary level of dedication. His professional relationship with many clients spanned decades and across several generations of individual families. They praised him for his expertise, reliability and personal touch which developed into many close friendships.

In his younger years, Roger was an avid tennis player and enjoyed playing folk music on his guitar. He was a loving and supportive father, providing his children with constant encouragement while giving them freedom to seek their own paths. As a dog lover, he often had a faithful companion (or two or three) by his side.

Roger was a devout Catholic. As a parishioner at Holy Ghost Church in Tiverton, he served many roles including lector, extraordinary minister, parish accountant and trustee. He also committed many hours to prayer, attending conferences and lectures, and traveling with groups to holy sites in Medjugorje and Italy. A personal highlight for him was visiting the Vatican to witness the diaconate ordination of his friend, Father Nicholas Fleming.

In addition to his wife, Roger leaves three children, Christopher T. Dufour and his wife Laurie of Middletown, Roger M. Dufour Jr and his wife Michelle Ciccolo of Medford, MA, and Amy I Dufour of Boston, MA. He was the proud grandfather to Katherine and Sean of Middletown and Axl and Quinn of Medford MA, relishing in their unique talents and accomplishments.

Roger is also survived by his sister, Janet Dufour Parker and her husband William of Tiverton, and his niece Lisa Castagna of Pawtucket. He was predeceased by his nephew David Castagna of North Kingstown.

A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 11:00am on Wednesday April 1, 2026 at Holy Ghost Church, Tiverton. Burial will follow at St. Columba Cemetery, Middletown.

Visiting hours will be held on Tuesday, March 31, 2026 from 4:00-7:00pm at Connors Memorial Funeral Home, 55 West Main Rd, Portsmouth.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Holy Ghost Church, 311 Hooper Street, Tiverton, RI 02878.