Claire Pheland

PHELAND, CLAIRE M., 84, a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother died peacefully surrounded by her loving family on Sunday, August 11, 2019.  She was the beloved wife for 50 years of the late Norman H. Pheland who passed away on November 5, 2003.

Born in Providence on March 13, 1935 to Joseph and Theresa (Boudreau) Beauchemin, she was a longtime resident of North Providence and a communicant of St. Lawrence Church.

She was a proud graduate of St. Patrick’s High School, Providence, Rhode Island.  Prior to her marriage, she worked as a clerk for City Hall Hardware in Providence.

An extraordinary cook, Claire selflessly taught all of her children, grandchildren, and daughters-in-law to cook, and her recipes are in every one of her loving family’s homes.  During her marriage, Claire also taught ceramics classes for many years, where she developed lasting friendships with numerous students in and out of the classroom.

After raising her family, and deciding to “get back to work outside the home”, she fearlessly sharpened her typing skills and went to work for the Grove family, owners of Pilgrim Screw Corporation in Providence, where she easily became the office “mother” to all employees, often sharing her delicious meatballs with them.  Claire was a lover of the arts, ceramics, painting and classical music, especially Pavarotti.

During their marriage, Claire and Norman had been the caretakers of Camp Meehan in North Providence, where many summer Sunday nights were spent entertaining family with pasta, meatballs, salad and grilled chicken wings (a family favorite pastime today!).

Despite battling Alzheimer’s in recent years, Claire hardly ever complained and never lost her sense of humor.

Claire will be deeply missed by her sons, Norman J. (Laura) Pheland of Glocester, RI, Timothy N. (Donna) Pheland of North Scituate, RI, and her daughter Theresa J. Barbieri of North Providence, RI.  Grammie, as she was affectionately called by all of her grandchildren, leaves behind her six grandsons, Evan (Kamila Duncan) Pheland, of Imperial Beach, CA, Jason Pheland of Burrillville, RI; Timothy Pheland, Jr. of Cranston, RI, Kyle Pheland of Newport, RI; Anthony and Michael Phillips of North Providence, RI; one granddaughter, Mackenzie Pheland of North Scituate, RI; and her great-grandson, Michael Phillips of North Providence, RI.  She was also the great-grandmother of the late Troy Owen Pheland and the sister of the late Raymond Beauchemin.

The family would like to express their gratitude to the compassionate staff at Briarcliffe Cottage and Manor in Johnston.

Claire’s funeral will be held on Friday, August 16 at 8:30 am from the Robbins Funeral Home, 2251 Mineral Spring Ave, North Providence, RI 02911 with a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 am in St. Joseph's Church, Danielson Pike, North Scituate, RI.  Burial will be in Gate of Heaven Cemetery, East Providence, RI. Donations in Claire’s memory may be made to the Alzheimer's Association of RI or any charity of your choice.  Condolences may be left at www.robbinsfuneralhome.com.