Frank Donald Catley

Frank Donald (Don) Roy Catley passed away peacefully on 7 March 2023 with his family by his side.  He is survived by his wife of 69 years, Hazel (Lewis) Catley.  He is survived by his five daughters: Karen (Austin) Clemence, Lori (David) Bessette, Jo-Ann Barbieri and her partner Don Vecchiarino, Terrie (Donald) Assalone and Stacy (Rick) Connors.  He has fifteen grandchildren:  Christine, Matthew (Rachel) and Andrew Clemence; Justin (Brittany), Michael (Evongelene) and Shanna Bessette; Daniel (Vanessa), Natalie and Robyn Barbieri; Gianna and Isabella Assalone; Madison, Abigail, Cameryn and Aiden Connors.  He has ten great-grandchildren:  Jack, Ella and Opal Clemence; Olivia Callandret and Cole Vierra; Oliver and Ford Bessette; Inès Chamberlain-Bessette and Amir Mustafa.  He was pre-deceased by great-grandson Henry Clemence.  He is survived by two sisters-in-law:  Patricia Hammersley and Cynthia Marchant.  He is survived by several nieces and nephews:  Lynne Kemp, Everett and Dale Cogswell, Gail Lawton, Sharon Finlay, Richard and Joel Hammersley, Patricia Convertino, Linda Wilson, David Marchant, Kevin and Jared Lewis, Donielle Bacciarre and Holly Pannonne.  He was pre-deceased by his niece Robin Hammersley.  His was pre-deceased by his long-time friends Margaret and Thomas Bowden.  He is survived by his god-daughter Susan Abbatonarco.

He was a member of the Happy Notes (musical singing group); Smithfield Senior Center Card Group; lifetime member, deacon and organist of the Graniteville Baptist Church; he was a handy man always working on a project.  He enjoyed playing Bingo and helping others with their cards.  He was a devoted family man to his wonderful wife, daughters, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  He was a prankster who loved telling jokes.  He was never at a loss for a story, have I told you this before?  He loved making puzzles, watching war movies, the Sound of Music, especially Julie Andrews, and playing solitaire.  He was an avid New England Patriots and Boston Red Sox fan.

Don met Hazel at the beach.  Hazel was chaperoning a youth group and couldn’t go into the water because she couldn’t swim.  Don suffered burns he received in a fire so couldn’t go into the water either. They sat on a rock and talked; well, the rest is history.

He worked as a wood pattern maker at Brown and Sharpe for 19 years.  He worked as a volunteer fireman at the Johnston Station 2 Fire Department in Graniteville for over 40 years, retiring at the rank of Captain.  He worked at Amica Insurance for several years

Calling hours will be held on Friday, 10 March 2023, from 4-7pm at Robbins Funeral Home, 2251 Mineral Spring Avenue, North Providence, RI.  The funeral will be held on Saturday, 11 March 2023, at 11:00am, with a service at 11:30am.  Burial with military honors will be at held at Highland Memorial Park, 1 Rhode Island Avenue, Johnston, RI.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Tomorrow Fund.