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Maria Gemma Corcelli was born in Providence on April 7, 1955. She is the eldest daughter among the nine children born to Larry and Gloria Gemma. In 2001, Maria learned that Gloria had been diagnosed with breast cancer. One year later, her beloved mother died, but through Gloria’s painful tragedy, a tremendous blessing was bestowed
Austin T. Levy was born in New York City on December 16, 1880. His father died when he was four, and his mother died when he was eleven. He then lived with his aunt and sister. He attended City College of New York for one year. At age 16, his first job was as an
“Life holds a knapsack full of memories – all of them significant; many, if not most, worth recording. Growing up in a neighborhood of family and friends was a journey to cherish. That neighborhood and the people living, working, and playing there, though from diverse ethnic backgrounds, had strong traditions of family, caring, and mutual
Dr. William Oh is one of the pioneers in neonatology. He has devoted his career to groundbreaking research, expanding patient care to improve the survival and out comes of high-risk preterm and term infants, and mentoring physicians in training. Dr. Oh was recruited in 1974 to be the Director of Perinatal Medicine at Providence Lying-In
Sara M. Algeo was President of the Rhode Island College Equal Suffrage League; Founder and Chair of the Rhode Island Woman Suffrage Party; Member of Rhode Island Woman Suffrage Association; Rhode Island Vice President and Member of the Executive Committee of the New England Woman Suffrage Association; Chair of the Rhode Island Woman’s Americanization Committee;
Dr. Anthony Corvese, a veteran physician, was the first Italian-American to intern at Rhode Island Hospital. He was instrumental in organizing the first free children’s dental clinic in the state, he also established a gynecological and surgical clinic at The House of the Good Shepherd. He was also a medical pioneer in the use of
Oliver G. Pratt was Superintendent of Rhode Island Hospital for many years. He received citations from many national health organizations and was considered one of the foremost administrators of hospitals in the nation.
Pursuing Health to Benefit Society “I wanted to be rich,’ he told the Boston Globe very seriously in 1988, “so I could give my money away.” That would all happen but not nearly as quickly has he might have hoped. He had graduated from BU in 1942, and by June 1944, he was a private
Parsons, Usher, 1788-1868 Dr. Usher Parsons of Providence was Rhode Island’s foremost physician of the early 19th century. Born in Alfred, Maine, the youngest of nine children, Parsons had little formal schooling, but began the study of medicine as an apprentice to physicians in Alfred and Boston. Parsons was licensed to practice by the Massachusetts
Dr. Isaac Ray was one of the fathers of American psychiatry. Born in Beverly, Massachusetts, on January 16, 1807, he was the son of Captain Isaac Ray and his second wife, widow Lydia Symonds. Ray graduated from Phillips-Andover Academy and attended Bowdoin College in Maine, but he left before graduation. Returning to Beverly, Ray served
Isabelle A. O’Neill was a stage and screen actor of the silent film era, a suffragist, and the first woman elected to the Rhode Island Legislature. She also served in the state Senate and, under President Franklin Roosevelt, in the Federal Bureau of Narcotics. She was born on June 8, 1880, in Woonsocket, Rhode Island,
Dr. Fiorindo A. Simeone was Chief of Surgery at The Miriam Hospital and gained worldwide recognition for his work with artificial organs. He performed the first open-heart surgery in the Middle East. An authority on trauma and shock, he has served on the staff of many hospitals throughout the nation and on many university faculties.
Dr. Stanley Aronson was the founding Dean of Brown University’s Alpert School of Medicine, a prolific writer, an advocate for community organizations, and one of Rhode Island’s most prominent public intellectuals. His career spanned more than 70 years, and he was a world-renowned doctor, medical researcher, and leader in medical education. He was a co-founder
When Noreen Stonor Drexel accepted her Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Salve Regina in 1999, she made a confession: She had never been to school. And she meant never. As a girl at her family’s ancestral estate of Stonor Park in Oxfordshire, England, she had jumped on a horse and ridden away whenever she
Mrs. Langdon-Kelly, of Little Compton, was affectionately known to all as “Poggy”. She, along with Dr. Eric Denhoff, founded Rhode Island’s famed Meeting Street School, a world renowned institution providing early education as well as medical intervention for special needs children. Her contributions to community service are legion, and at the age of 93, she
Dr. Edwin M. Snow (1820-1888) was Providence’s first superintendent of health and chief statistician from 1856 to 1884. Dr. Snow was born in Pomfret, Vermont where he received his early education. He came to Rhode Island to study at Brown University and remained here after his graduation in 1845, except for his medical studies in
Hamolsky, Milton W., 1921-2014 Dr. Hamolsky of Providence was the first full time Physician-In-Chief of Medicine at Rhode Island Hospital and a Professor of Medical Science at Brown University where he helped develop the Brown University Medical School. He was the first Chief Administrative Officer of the Board of Medical Licensure & Discipline for the
Dr. Alex Burgess was the Director of Medical Education at Miriam Hospital. He has been considered the dean of Rhode Island’s medical community. He was known as a specialist in internal medicine, and gained fame as a diagnostician.
Dr. David Connolly Hall was the bronze medalist in the 800-meter run at the 1900 Paris Olympics. Dr. Hall, a native of Quebec and a student at Brown University (Class of 1901), became Rhode Island’s first Olympic medalist. In a trail heat at Paris, he established the long-time Olympic record in the 800-meters of 1:56.2
Dr. Hubert McGuirl, 1908-1977, was a Providence native who was the only Rhode Islander to serve as national President of the American Dental Association. He organized the New England Council on Insurance, and later the New England Council on Dental Health and Care. As a consultant to the U.S. Public Health Service, Division of Manpower
Archibald Silverman , 1880-1967, was a Providence jewelry manufacturer, and civic leader for many years; his wife, Ida Silverman was a crusader for the establishment of the State of Israel and played an important role in fund-raising for Rhode Island hospitals. The Silvermans aided in building nearly one hundred synagogues throughout the world. Archibald Silverman
The late George Katz, formerly of East Providence, became the first Executive Director of the Big Brothers of Rhode Island, and served as Director of Development for Big Brothers of America for ten years.He traveled extensively throughout the U.S., establishing Big Brother agencies. He worked as a Community Relations Director and fund-raiser for Miriam Hospital,
Dr. Albert L. Midgely, a prominent Rhode Island oral surgeon and a pioneer in dental education, was one of the founders of the American College of Dentists on August. 22 1920, at the Copley Hotel in Boston, Massachusetts. His name is inscribed on the ceremonial mace to commemorate the founders, and he was elected its
Aime Joseph Forand was born on May 23, 1895 in Fall River, Massachusetts to Francois Xavier and MeliLuce Ruest Forand. Forand studied at public and Catholic schools in the state, and also attended the Magnus Commercial School in Providence, and Columbia University in New York. At the age of twenty- three, he enlisted in the
The late Dr. Eric Denhoff, 1913-1982, a native of Providence and co-founder of the famed Meeting Street School for children with disabilities and developmental delays. He volunteered his services as Meeting Street’s medical director for 35 years, until his death in 1982.He was internationally recognized as a pioneer in the early detection of and treatment
Americo A. “Savy” Savastano, M.D. (1906-1987), one of the world’s most renowned surgeons, served as Chief of Orthopedic Surgery at Rhode Island Hospital. Born in Orchi, Italy on November 28, 1906 to Carmine and Luigia (Vendettuoli) Savastano, Americo and his family moved to Rhode Island when he was nine years old. He graduated from the
Barbara-Jeanne Seabury, 1927-2002, a native of Cranston and resident of Wakefield, was the Director of Rhode Island Hospital’s Child Life Department from 1976 to her retirement in 1993. She was a nationally recognized pioneer in the revolutionizing of child care in the hospital environment, and a very active member of the steering committee for Hasbro
Born in High Forest, Minnesota on October 8, 1876, Joseph Howard Ladd was the son of George W. and Emma (nee Corey) Ladd. He was educated in Vermont and continued his studies at Norwich University before entering Dartmouth Medical College, where he graduated in 1900 as a Doctor of Medicine. From there, he took up
Mary Tucker Thorp was a teacher, educator, and school principal at Rhode Island College. She chaired the committee that investigated and made recommendations for accreditation standards for preschool education, which were adopted in the State Board of Education Codes in 1954. She was the first Distinguished Professor of Rhode Island College, and both the first
Dr. Mary C. Mulvey, a nationally recognized expert in the problems of the elderly and concerns of gerontology who now makes Rhode Island her home, has been a pioneer advocate for older adults and successful in enacting legislation to establish a State Agency on Aging. She served as its’ administrator until returning to the Providence
Keen, William W. (William Williams), 1837-1932 Dr. William W. Keen (1837-1932) of Swedish and Dutch extraction, was a man of stern principles and unwavering convictions and a diligent worker in the Calvinist tradition. He was born on the last day of Andrew Jackson’s tenure as president; and he died in the waning months of Herbert
Dr. Aram V. Chobanianwas a Pawtucket born graduate of Brown University and Harvard Medical School. He was responsible for establishing and directing Boston University’s world renowned Cardiovascular Center. Internationally respected, he has been a Visiting Professor at the Italian Hypertension Society, the Danish hypertension Society, and Hong Kong University. He has authored two books and
Dr. Barbara Roberts, an eminent cardiologist with a private practice, is truly a legend in Rhode Island. She was the first woman to be accepted into the Gorlin cardiology fellowship program at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a Harvard University Medical School Teaching Hospital, and the first woman to practice adult cardiology in Rhode Island.
Dr. Frances P. Conklin, a distinguished radiologist and long-time community leader who became the first woman President of the Providence Medical Society. She was the only woman member of the RI Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline, and named RI’s “Woman Physician of 1989” by the Rhode Island Medical Woman’s Association. She received the prestigious
William Bradford (1729-1808), born in Plympton, Massachusetts, was the great-great-grandson and namesake of the famous governor of the Plymouth Colony. Bradford studied medicine in Hingham, Massachusetts, and then opened a practice in Warren a few years after that town’s transfer from Massachusetts to Rhode Island in 1747. In 1751, he married Mary LeBaron, the daughter
When Dr. Wheatland died in 1934 at the age of sixty-six, his obituary in the Newport Daily News newspaper lead off by noting “The life of the late Dr. Marcus F. Wheatland should be an inspiration to every boy, white or colored, who believes he has no chance to succeed.” In fact, Marcus Wheatland’s life
The Reverend Charles E. Millard, M.D. excelled in many walks of life–as an athlete in his youth, as a noted family physician, husband, parent, author, professor of medicine, and civic leader in his prime, and as a deacon of the Roman Catholic Church after the death of his beloved wife Mildred Lowney Millard. Charles was
Pastore, John O. (John Orlando), 1942- Dr. John O. Pastore joins his illustrious father as one of the rare father-son combinations to merit membership in the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame. Dr. Pastore was born in Providence on April 20, 1942 and was educated at LaSalle Academy and the University of Notre Dame, receiving
Ms. Marion Avarista was founder of the Traveler’s Aid Runaway Youth Project and developer of the Travelers Aid Medical Van providing free service for the homeless in Providence. A Cranston resident, she is one of those most responsible for the growth and development of the Traveler’s Aid Society in RI and is a very active
Dr. Charles Chapin was an internationally renowned pioneer in the field of public health and epidemiology who served as Providence’s Superintendent of Health from 1884 to 1932. His book, The Sources and Modes of Infection, published in 1910, influenced physicians and public health officials across the United States and Europe by establishing public health standards.
William Francis Sayles, 1824-1894, was a prominent Pawtucket, Rhode Island industrialist who founded the W.F. & F.C. Sayles Company, reputedly the world’s largest bleachery for cotton textile cloth, located in Saylesville on the Moshassuck River. Sayles and his brother Frederick, the first mayor of Pawtucket, also owned the Lorraine Mill on Mineral Spring Avenue, a
Lester F. Ward was a botanist, paleontologist, sociologist, and legendary Brown University professor who promoted the introduction of sociology courses into American higher education. He had such a powerful intellect and such wide-ranging knowledge that some contemporaries referred to him as “the American Aristotle.” Ward emphasized universal and comprehensive public schooling to provide the public
Mary Emma Woolley, noted educator, women’s suffrage supporter, college president, feminist, and peace activist, was the first graduate of the Women’s College at Brown University (later called Pembroke) in 1894. E. Benjamin Andrews, innovative president of Brown University, had persuaded Woolley to become the first woman student at Brown. She earned her degree under the
Dr. John Clarke (1609-1676) was the son of Thomas and Rose (Kerrich) Clarke. He was born in Westhorpe, Suffolk, in 1609, the fifth of seven children (according to a listing in the family’s Geneva Bible) and the third of five sons, four of whom ultimately settled in Newport. Before he left England, he was probably
Dr. Ramon Guiteras, founder of the American Urological Association, surgeon, statesman, and sportsman, was the most prominent Rhode Islander of Latin American heritage at the turn of the 20th century. He was born in Bristol, Rhode Island, on August 17, 1858, to Ramon and Elizabeth Manchester (Wardwell) Guiteras. His grandfather sailed from Spain to Cuba,
State and national eminence in the medical profession came to Dr. John W. Keefe of Providence, Rhode Island, through his exceptional skill as a surgeon and his many notable and humane achievements in a career in which his service in his chosen profession was distinguished for nearly half a century. He was a founder of
Dr. James J. O’Connell, a native of Newport and a graduate of Harvard Medical School, has truly made a difference in the world of medicine. Since 1985, when he helped found the Boston Health Care For The Homeless Program, he has worked tirelessly to bring medical care and dignity to the less fortunate. Today he
Dr. Arun K. Singh, a native of Patna, India, was born in 1944. As a child, the future physician suffered several debili- tating injuries including the breaking of both of his hands at different times, with one of these accidents resulting in the tempo- rary paralysis of his right hand ” not the most auspicious
Father Angelo D’Agostino, 1926-2006 was born on January 26, 1926 in Providence, Rhode Island and died at work in Nairobi, Kenya on November 20, 2006. Raised in the Mount Pleasant section of Providence, Angelo was educated at Holy Ghost School, LaSalle Academy, and St. Michael’s College in Vermont. He received both an M.D. and Master’s
The late J. Arthur Trudeau was a pioneer in the support of those with intellectual disabilities in Rhode Island and across the nation. With the assistance of former LaSallle Academy classmate Congressman John E. Fogarty, he brought about legislation requiring R.I. cities and towns to provide special education to disabled children until the age of
The late Dr. George W. Waterman, was a Providence native and renowned obstetrician and gynecologist whose medical career spanned half a century and included significant work in the fight against cancer. A graduate of Brown and Cornell Universities, he was a past president of the Rhode Island and New England Medical Societies; was acclaimed for
Dr. Blas Moreno, 1928-2011, became a resident of Rhode Island after emigrating from Cuba in 1954. He fashioned a distinguished career as a leading physician, community leader, and philanthropist, and has been at the forefront of developing medical care programs for the National Guard of the United States, serving as the State Air Surgeon for
Early in 1922, Rep. Lucius Garvin took the floor in the Rhode Island Senate to move for action on a bill to reduce the work week for children under sixteen from fifty-four to forty-four hours a week. His motion was defeated by a vote of four ayes to thirty nays. As had been the case
Merill Hassenfeld, 1918-1979, was Chief Executive Officer of Hasbro Industries. He was an active leader of the Jewish people and campaign chairman of the United Way of Southern New England.He was president of the Jewish Federation of Rhode Island, a founder of the Jewish Community Center and a director of the Miriam Hospital.
Caroline Hazard, educator, philanthropist, artist, and author was born in Peace Dale, Rhode Island, on June 10, 1856. She was the second of five children of industrialist Rowland Hazard II and Margaret A. (Rood) Hazard of Peace Dale. Caroline grew up with all the privileges her prominent family could afford – private tutors, European vacations,
Arthur Robbins is widely known as a highly creative, intelligent, skillful, and successful hotel developer. He is also recognized by all for his generous, caring, and humanitarian spirit. Born in Worcester, Massachusetts on July 17, 1932, Arthur grew up and went to school in Woonsocket and then at Wilbraham and Monson Academy. He received a
Joseph Cannon was born in Providence in 1911, the son of General Francis Cannon and Mary (Milligan) Cannon. He attended Technical High School and graduated from Brown University in 1932. He chose a career in medicine, and in 1936 he earned his degree cum laude from Tufts Medical School. Dr. Cannon then joined the Army
Dr. Manuel da Silva was born on September 5, 1926 in the village of Caviâo, Vale de Cambra in continental Portugal. After completing high school in Portugal, he emigrated to Brooklyn, New York with his mother and brother in January, 1946 to join his father, who was an American citizen. Young Manuel studied the English
Kathleen Sullivan Connell was born in Newport, Rhode Island, the only daughter of Lawrence and Margaret Sullivan. She attended St. Mary’s School and St. Catherine Academy, graduated magna cum laude from Salve Regina University with a BS in Nursing, and then earned a master’s degree in International Relations from Salve. Kathleen has been connected with
Dr. Walter Channing (April 15, 1786 – July 27, 1876) was born in Newport, the younger brother of the Reverend William Ellery Channing. Like his brother he studied at Harvard and made his career in Boston, but as a noted physician and professor of medicine. After graduating from the medical school of the University of
Dr. Betty Vohr obtained her bachelor’s degree from Adelphi University in 1962 and her medical degree from Albany Medical College in 1966. She then came to Rhode Island in order to pursue her post-graduate training in pediatrics at Rhode Island Hospital. She completed her internship in 1967, her residency in 1968, and her fellowship in
Walter Juszcyk graduated from West Warwick High School in the class of 1937. He left his mark on the school having been class president for three years, Journal Honor Roll Boy, All-State in baseball, and football captain of the Wizards. He rated with the best pitchers ever coached by Jack McCarthy. In 1936, West Warwick
Benjamin Waterhouse was born in Newport, Rhode Island, on March 4, 1754. He was a physician, co-founder, and professor of Harvard Medical School. He is known for being the first doctor to test the smallpox vaccine in the United States, which he carried out on his own family. Waterhouse was born into a Quaker family,
Dr. William (Bill) Osmanski began his great football career at Central High School in Providence, Rhode Island. He was born in Providence on December 29, 1915. He earned All-State honors twice and led his team to the Class A state championship in 1934. He picked up the nickname “Bullet Bill” during high school. Osmanski was
Dr. Rudolph E. Tanzi is the Joseph P. and Rose F. Kennedy Professor of Neurology at Harvard University and Director of the Genetics and Aging Research Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital. He has received widespread recognition and numerous awards for his efforts to prevent and cure Alzheimer’s disease. This litany of acclaim includes the two
Dr. Solomon Drowne, 1753-1834, a noted physician, graduated from Brown in 1773 with Senator Theodore Foster (1752-1828). He returned to Rhode Island from his far-flung travels in 1801 to settle in Foster. His estate, called Mount Hygeia, after the Greek goddess of health, became the setting for many botanical experiments and the formulation of several
Jim Healey was a two-sport all-state athlete in high school and the sparkplug of a South Providence sandlot baseball team that won five age-graded championships from 1953 to 1957. He was a member of the IBAA baseball team and the 1957 state CYO champion St. Michael’s team, both of which were captained by Patrick T.
Charles McDonald, MD, is the founding chairman of the Brown University Medical School Department of Dermatology and Physician-in-Chief of the Department of Dermatology at Rhode Island Hospital. An internationally recognized dermatologist, Dr. McDonald has distinguished himself as a clinician, researcher, and educator and as a leader in his community and beyond. Dr. McDonald was born
Earl C. Whelden ran the Shriner’s Circus at Narragansett Park for years, the proceeds from which went to the Shriner’s Hospitals for physically handicapped children of all races and creeds. He also established the Palestine Temple Shriner’s 22-bed Hodges-Lawton unit at Rhode Island Hospital for crippled children and ran an annual Christmas party for unfortunate