BETTY A. (MENNA) DeTROIA

68, passed peacefully into eternal rest Thursday, March 3, 2011 at Kent Hospital in Warwick with her loving family by her side. Born in Providence on February 21, 1943, she was the daughter of the late Salvatore and Maria (Tronni) Menna.

Betty graduated from St. Joseph's Hospital School of Nursing and was employed as a surgical nurse at the hospital for many years. She received her RN in 2003 from Community College of Rhode Island, and was honored upon graduation with the Newport Hospital Award for Excellence. In following years, she generously donated many hours of her time tutoring nursing students at the College. Betty was the proprietor of Betty's Candies on Rolfe Street in Cranston, a business she operated with great enthusiasm with her family and loyal employees for twenty-six years. A Cranston resident for most of her life, she was a communicant of St. Mary Church and, for over twenty years, an ardent supporter of the Cranston American Little League. She greatly enjoyed cooking for her family, sharing her love and her talents with her grandchildren, and spending time with her husband and family at their vacation home in Florida.

She leaves her loving husband of 47 years, Paul J. DeTroia; devoted sons Mark and his wife, JoAnne, of Seekonk, MA and Kevin and his wife, Joanna, of Warwick; cherished grandchildren Joshua, Nicholas and Sophia DeTroia; step-granddaughter Samantha Fontaine; sisters Grace Carnevale, Shirley St. Amand, and Debra Santos; brother Fred Menna; and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her beloved daughter, Kimberly.

Betty's wonderful energy and generosity of spirit was a blessing to all who knew her. She will be sadly missed by her loving family, employees, and friends.

The funeral will be held on Monday at 8:45am at Nardolillo Funeral Home & Crematory,1278 Park Avenue, Cranston followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00am at St. Mary Church, 1525 Cranston Street, Cranston. A burial service will be held at the Chapel at St. Ann Cemetery, 72 Church Street, Cranston. Visiting hours will be on Sunday from 4:00 to 8:00pm. Relatives and friends are invited to attend. Donations in Betty's memory may be made to St. Peter School in Warwick, Kent Employee Emergency Program (K.E.E.P.), or the Betty DeTroia Scholarship Fund c/o Dr. Nancy Stone (nestone2@comcast.net).