Born in Central Falls, Sarah (Sally Anter) Canavan, age 78, passed away peacefully at the Philip Hulitar Inpatient Center on Sunday, July 19, 2015, following a brief illness.
Sally was the beloved wife of 54 years of Robert J. Canavan, who died in 2012. She is survived by her five children and their families, Joseph and Linda Canavan, Michael and Rachel Canavan, The Rev. Mary Canavan, Robert and Susan Canavan, and John and Nancy Canavan. Sally was the proud grandmother of Laura, Michael, Daniel, Melissa, Killian, Patrick, Kayleigh, Michael, Matthew, David and Sarah Canavan. Sally also is survived by her siblings, Carole Hanks, Hope Chopy and George, Ronald and Daniel Anter. Two brothers predeceased her, Andrew and Albert.
In addition to being a terrific mother and devoted wife, Sally was a successful bookkeeper, having graduated with an associate degree in Business Administration. In addition, she was a driving leader in the community. She was a founding member of, and served as president of, the Cumberland-Lincoln Community Chorus. She was president of the Friends of the Cumberland Library.
She was a faithful member of St. Ephraim’s Syriac Orthodox Church, Central Falls, and then Christ Episcopal Church, Lonsdale. She served as treasurer of Christ Church and she also was treasurer of the Episcopal Church Women (ECW) of the Diocese of Rhode Island.
In 1976, while treasurer of the Diocesan ECW, Sally received a request to fund a new and experimental program in Rhode Island called, “hospice.” The Diocesan ECW voted to fund this new initiative, and as treasurer, Sally signed the check for the ECW’s inaugural funding of what is now Home & Hospice Care of Rhode Island (HHCRI).
In gratitude for the amazing and loving care of Sally by the staff at the Philip Hulitar Inpatient Center of HHCRI, the family requests, in lieu of flowers, that donations be made in her memory to the Home & Hospice Care of Rhode Island (HHCRI), 1085 North Main St., Providence, RI 02904.
Calling hours will be Wednesday, July 22 from 4-8 p.m. at Bellows Funeral Home, River Road, Lincoln. The worship service and celebration of Sally’s life will be Thursday, July 23 at 10 a.m. at Emmanuel Church, 120 Nate Whipple Highway, Cumberland. Burial will follow at Diamond Hill Cemetery, Cumberland. For Directions and Guest Book, please visit www.bellowsfuneralchapel.com
Town:
Cumberland
Pubzone:
Cumberland, Lincoln area
Category:
Obituaries
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