Our Dad, Bob Winfield, died Tuesday, March 8th, as he would have wanted, at his home in Florida. He married our Mom, Joan A. (Mellen) Winfield on June 20, 1959, after meeting her riding the city bus in Providence. The mass was at St. Teresa’s Church and they celebrated with an outdoor reception here, at their new home, in Greenville. It has been said that the greatest gift a father can give his children is to love their mother, and that he did!
Bob was the second of four children born to J. Robert and Mary (Boland) Winfield. His only surviving sibling is his sister, Catherine Pearson. His brother, John Winfield died in 1993 and his sister, Ann Gerlach died this past January.
He graduated from LaSalle Academy and was so proud to see his grandchildren attend and graduate. He also graduated from NE Institute in Boston where he received his degree in Funeral Service.
Dad loved to be around people. He enjoyed making people laugh. He was a very social guy! We remember him cycling around town on his blue bike, watering the flowers on the common at 2am and the annual Fourth of July picnic where he escorted many of his 28 nieces and nephews and his children up Route 44 on their bikes to the Ancient and Horribles parade in Chepachet. We remember the beach houses and the trips with all our cousins to the ice cream store where he asked, “What does everyone want?” and we all shouted out our orders: “chocolate cone with jimmies, hot fudge sundae, coffee ice cream, popsicles!” and then he would order “Ten vanillas!” We remember the rides on the Jamestown ferry. He’d bring a long rope with a knot for every child he was escorting.
We loved to laugh and he was fine with being the laughed at. After his stroke the doctor came in to give us the prognosis… the doctor was saying, “you won’t be able to do this and you won’t be able to do that”. The doctor’s final comment was “you’ll never be 100% again”. We looked at each and laughed! “Dad, you weren’t 100% before the surgery! What’s the big deal !”
He was a great Dad. He loved us and we loved him. God bless you, Dad!
Love, Charlene, Anthony, Tom, Becky, Roberta, Mike, Elizabeth, David, Mary, Caroline, Vito, Anthony, Cameron, Bross, Ryan and Ephraim
P.S. His favorite color is blue!
His Mass of Christian Burial will be held Wednesday at 9:30 am in St. Philip Church, 622 Putnam Pike, Greenville. Burial will be in Acote’s Hill Cemetery. Visitation Monday and Tuesday 4-7pm in the ANDERSON-WINFIELD Funeral Home, Route 44 at Greenville Common, Greenville. Please omit flowers. Donations in his memory may be made to any of the Smithfield Youth Athletic Associations or St. Philip School, 618 Putnam Pike, Greenville, RI 02828 or LaSalle Academy, 612 Academy Avenue, Providence, RI 02908.