OBITUARY

Claudia B. Dunbar

Posted

TIVERTON — Claudia B. Dunbar, a lifelong resident of Stafford Road in Tiverton died on January 26, 2019. She was the wife of Permanent Deacon James N. Dunbar of the Diocese of Providence, Rhode Island, and the widow of the late Aime V. Boissoneau.

She was the daughter of the late Antone S. Brandao and Marie (Silvia) Brandao. She was educated in Tiverton schools, B.M.C. Durfee High School and Thibodeau Business College. She served 10 years on the Tiverton School Board, eight as its chairman.

Her tenure began with construction of the Tiverton High School and ended with the dedication of the Tiverton Middle School. She was editor of the Tiverton Monthly Bulletin, chairman of the Tiverton Bicentennial Commission and vice chairman of the Battle of Rhode Island Commission. She headed many other organizations, including the Citizens Scholarship Foundation, the Tiverton Planning Board, The Walter E. Ranger PTA, and St. Theresa’s Ladies Guild. She was the parish secretary at St. Theresa’s where she also served as lector, extraordinary minister of the Eucharist and confirmation class teacher.

Besides her husband, she leaves five daughters: Carol Smith of Cranston, Diane Moonjian of Splendora, Texas; Nancy Hoffman of Georgetown, Texas; Dr. Julia Hans of Lowell, Massachusetts; and Lori Harvey of Bristol; and one son, Mark A. Dunbar of Chapel Hill, North Carolina. She leaves her greatest joy, her 12 grandchildren: Eireann; Bonnie; Shannon; Becky; Pete Jr.; Anthony; Lindsay; Kelly; Michael; Kate; Kristin; and Abigail Claudia (and Orion, Caleb, Cade, Madison, Avery and Adalynn her six “great grands”). She was the sister of the late Antone F. Brando.

Her funeral will be held from Pocasset Funeral Home in Tiverton at 9 a.m. on Friday, with a 10 a.m. Mass of Christian Burial at St. Theresa’s Church on Stafford Road in Tiverton. Calling hours will be Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m. at the Pocasset Memorial Funeral Home on Main Road in Tiverton. Interment will be in Pocasset Hill Cemetery.