ROBERTA (DEL SESTO) DeSIMONE

71, passed away on Wednesday, November 16, 2011 with her husband and daughters at her side at her home on Summit Drive in Cranston after a 2 1/2 year courageous battle with illness. The wife of Robert (Bob) DeSimone, she and her husband who would have been married 50 years next May 26, have been residents of Cranston since 1968.

Born in Providence, Roberta was the daughter of the late Louis and Anna (Paolino) DelSesto. When she was eight her father passed away and she and her three siblings were raised in Providence by her dedicated and loving mother. She attended St. Mary Academy of the Visitation and later graduated from Mount Pleasant High School in 1958. Following in her mother's footsteps, Roberta graduated from Jo-An School of Beauty Culture and then spent her entire career as a hairdresser in Providence and later in Cranston owning her own salon, "Roberta". She also served as an instructor at the Arthur Angelo School of Hairdressing. Her entire career spanned a period of 53 years during which she developed a long-time loyal following resulting in many treasured friendships.

Roberta is remembered as a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and sister. She was a woman of distinctive tastes, particular in details, strong of character and always available to offer assistance. A multi talented artistic person, she was very much at home with oil painting, needlework, culinary skills and so much more.

She will be missed immensely!

Beside her husband, Roberta leaves three daughters: Rebecca Machado & her husband Joe; Holly Ialongo & her husband Frank; and Jessica Schattle & her husband Brian all of Cranston. She also leaves eight grandchildren: Andrew, Alexis & Elizarose Machado; Luca, Noah & Marco Ialongo; and Brian & Bobby Schattle all of whom she cherished and spent much time with. She is also survived by her siblings Georgia Huntley of No. Smithfield, Geraldine Marzilli of Providence and Francis (Frank) DelSesto of Cranston.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend her Mass of Christian Burial on Monday November 21 at 10:00 a.m. in Immaculate Conception Church 237 Garden Hills Drive, Cranston, R.I. Visiting hours are respectively omitted. Following Mass, burial will be in Swan Point Cemetery 585 Blackstone Blvd., Providence, R.I. to which all are invited. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made in her memory to the Immaculate Conception Church.

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