Stella (Balzano) McGonigle, formerly of Cranberry Pond and Grace Avenue, passed away Friday, November 22, 2019 at Kent Hospital.
She was a daughter of the late Carmine P. and Stella (Tortora) Balzano. In her teen years, she was a member of the Fifth Ward Democratic Club. She attended New York University, where she earned her certificate in Early Childhood Education. Stella worked for the Warwick Community Action Head Start Day Care and the J. Arthur Trudeau Memorial Center with special education children.
She was a motorcycle enthusiast known as “Indian” and was a member of the RI Motorcycle Association and also at one time president at the Kent County Motorcycle Association. As a member of these two groups, she was very active for fundraisers for the imPossible Dream and toy runs for the Toys for Tots program. She enjoyed arts and crafts and was owner of McGonigle Crafts of Warwick. Stella was also an avid Bingo player.
She leaves two daughters, Erica Saccoccio and her husband, Joe Saccoccio, of Warwick and Christine Alexander of Cranston. She was the sister of Gennaro “Jerry” Balzano of Johnston, Cynthia Cataldi and Rosanne Andrews of Warwick. She was the loving grandmother of Jalisa Taveres-Rodrigues and her husband, Derek Rodrigues, Dayvone Nunes, Haley Furtado and Ricky Saccoccio and great-grandmother of Amelia Nunes. Stella was the sister of the late Carmine P. Balzano.
Her funeral service was held Monday, November 25 in Thomas & Walter Quinn Funeral Chapel, 2435 Warwick Ave., Warwick. Burial was in St. Joseph Cemetery, West Greenwich. Visiting hours were Sunday, Nov. 24.
Memorial contributions to the imPossible Dream, 575 Centerville Road, Warwick, RI 02886 or St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, PO Box 1000, Dept. 142, Memphis, TN 38148 would be greatly appreciated.
