Jo-An Parente

Jo-An (Plaistek) Parente

A beloved daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, great-grandmother, friend and companion, Jo-An Parente, 85, passed away peacefully on June 20, 2025, surrounded by her family in East Greenwich, RI. 

While Jo-An filled all of her roles with great love, if you asked her who she was at her core, she would answer “a dancer.”  From age 8 to 84, she entertained and taught hundreds through her talent for ballet and tap. Born on July 25th, 1939, to Frank and Wanda Plaistek, she attendedWoonsocket High School, spent summers studying ballet in New York City, and went on to graduate from the University of Rhode Island (URI) with a degree inBusiness Administration. While in college, she met her future husband, Robert Parente, and together they raisedthree children in Cranston, RI. Jo-An was heavily involved in supporting youth sports and St. Paul’s parish events,while serving as an elementary school teacher at St. Timothy’s in Warwick, RI, where she received a “Best Teacher” recognition. She passed on her love for dance to her daughter Linda and her granddaughters, and uponretiring to Jupiter, FL, she was an active member of The Coquettes, a renowned tap dance group that entertained seniors throughout the Palm Beach area. Wherever and whenever there was music playing, she could be seen dancing a few steps and inviting others to do the same. She enjoyed traveling, reading books, and perusing the Wall Street Journal cover-to-cover every day. Throughout her life, she worked tirelessly to ensure her family and friends were cared for, always offering a helping hand andan ear to listen if someone was in need. She simply loved making people feel good. This was her greatest legacy.

She is preceded in death by her parents and husband of 48 years, Robert A. Parente, Sr.

She is survived by her three children: Linda Parente (Armin Kososki), Robert Parente (Sue), and Peter Parente (Hope); her grandchildren: Laura, Melissa, Ryan, Lucy, Robert, Peter, Georgia, and Henry; her great-grandchildren: Roman, Lucy, Charlotte, and Thomas; her sister-in-law Carolyn King, nephews Kurt King (Lisa) and Jason King, and niece Allison King (Svenja); her caring companion of more than 10 years Bill Pyrczak, and many cherished friends.

Calling hours will be held on Monday, June 23rd from 4 p.m. – 7 p.m. at Jones-Walton-Sheridan Funeral Home, 1895 Broad Street at Park Ave., Cranston, RI. Family and friends are invited to attend Jo-An’s funeral mass on Tuesday, June 24th, at 10 a.m. at St. Paul’s Church, 1 St. Paul Place, Cranston, RI.

The family extends its deepest gratitude to the staff at The Seasons in East Greenwich for their compassion and the wonderful care they provided during Jo-An’s time there. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Jo-An’s name may be made to The Seasons East Greenwich, 5 Saint Elizabeth Way, East Greenwich, RI 02818.

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