July 8, 1934 — July 8, 2025
Former Rhode Island Governor Edward Daniel DiPrete, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and patriarch of the DiPrete family, died peacefully on July 8th at his home in Cranston, after celebrating his 91st birthday with family.
A lifelong Rhode Islander, Ed was born on Cranston Street, in the Knightsville neighborhood of Cranston, on July 8, 1934, to Frank, an Italian immigrant, and Mary (Grossi) DiPrete. The youngest of five boys (brothers Arthur, Frank Jr., Walter, and Andrew), Ed attended LaSalle Academy before earning his bachelor’s degree at the College of the Holy Cross. Ed was a proud Crusader and credits the deep-rooted Jesuit education for his commitment to social justice and service to the community. Following graduation, he served honorably as a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Tulare and USS Outpost.
Politics was not part of his plan. In fact, Ed happily ran DiPrete Realty, a successful realty and insurance business, for many years, until one fortuitous evening when he reviewed his son’s homework, and quickly determined that the educational criteria of the local school district needed improvement…and so began his political career. Ed was elected to the Cranston School Committee (1970–1974), then the City Council (1974– 1978), and served as Cranston’s mayor from 1978 to 1985, having won reelection in 1982 with an unprecedented 83 percent of the vote.
Elected Governor in 1984, Ed served three consecutive two year terms, championing education, infrastructure, and cementing his reputation as a Governor who valued bipartisanship and worked with both parties for a better Rhode Island. Ed said it best in his inaugural address, when he vowed: “I am dedicated to the development of our economy and progress for our state so that all Rhode Islanders will benefit.” Ed’s unwavering hope for the betterment of The Hope State was paralleled by his annual hope for a Red Sox World Series win. And although Ed enjoyed friendships with many celebrities and politicians throughout his career—including President Bush (41), with whom he vacationed in Kennebunkport—and had the honor of a private audience with Pope John Paul II, Ed’s favored meeting was with Red Sox slugger Ted Williams.
Ed’s legacy is marked not only by his many public achievements, such as preserving open space, implementing recycling programs, renovating Scarborough Beach, and delivering four tax reductions in his first two years; but more profoundly by the family he built and cherished. While Ed credited his late wife Patricia for being the heart of the DiPrete family, he was undoubtedly the soul. A pillar of strength and compassion, Ed’s life revolved around his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. From hosting holidays and sharing meals at Twin Oaks, to riding in the Winnebago or watching a Red Sox game, Ed was happiest when surrounded by those he loved. He leaves behind a family deeply shaped by his faith, resilience, and unwavering devotion—a patriarch whose quick wit and warm smile will carry on in the hearts of those who loved him.
Ed is survived by his loving children, Edward DiPrete, Jr., wife Anne and their children Jennifer, Michelle and Joseph; Dennis DiPrete, wife Susan, daughters Denalee, Katherine and Paige; Nancy Laurienzo, husband Paul, their children Mollie, Mitchell and Meredith; Patricia Hayden, husband Michael, their children Kelsey, Michael, and Sean; Mary Ellen Murray, husband David, their children Wesley, Brandon, and Sophia; Kathleen Joseph, husband Paul, their daughters Emily and Olivia; Thomas DiPrete, wife Nicole, and daughters Madeleine, Charlotte and Cecilia. Ed is also survived by his great-grandchildren, Tallulah Thompson, Nicolas Hernandez, Michael and Gabriela McDonald, Grace Hayden, and Alexander Joseph DiPrete. He was predeceased by his parents, brothers, and loving wife, Patricia.
His funeral will be held on Monday at 9 a.m. from the NARDOLILLO FUNERAL HOME & Crematory, 1278 Park Ave., Cranston followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in Holy Apostle Church, Pippin Orchard Rd., Cranston at 10 a.m. Interment will take place in St. Ann’s Cemetery, Cranston. VISITING HOURS Sunday 3-7 p.m. at NARDOLILLO FUNERAL HOME & Crematory, 1278 Park Ave., Cranston. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to: Holycross.edu/give
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