Violet Calitri DeTora, 95, Barrington

Enjoyed spending time with her large family

Posted 7/26/16

Rhode Island native Violet Calitri DeTora, 95, died Monday, July 11, 2016 of natural causes in Florida, where she had lived for the past 28 years. Violet was the daughter of the late Pietro Calitri …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Register to post events


If you'd like to post an event to our calendar, you can create a free account by clicking here.

Note that free accounts do not have access to our subscriber-only content.

Day pass subscribers

Are you a day pass subscriber who needs to log in? Click here to continue.


Violet Calitri DeTora, 95, Barrington

Enjoyed spending time with her large family

Posted

Rhode Island native Violet Calitri DeTora, 95, died Monday, July 11, 2016 of natural causes in Florida, where she had lived for the past 28 years. Violet was the daughter of the late Pietro Calitri and Angelina Ciallella Calitri. She grew up at 311 Maple Ave. in Barrington, and continued to reside in Barrington before retiring and moving to Florida in 1987.

Violet married Angelo “Bucky” DeTora on Jan. 23, 1943 at Holy Angels Church in Barrington during World War II. Bucky was stationed in Fort Worth, Texas and Violet joined him after their wedding. They lived in Fort Worth for a short time during the war and had one son, Peter Paul DeTora. They returned to Barrington after the war.

Violet’s career consisted of numerous roles including executive secretary for the Barrington School System and Rhode Island College. She was the proud owner of U-Turn, a clothing consignment store on Maple Avenue in Barrington. 

Her strong spirit and amazing work ethic inspired many generations of strong women in her family. Violet was a mentor to young people and taught them important life and work lessons. She was often referred to as a very important person in a young person’s life, both a mentor and a friend, a brilliant lady who taught many lessons.

Violet was a published author of the book, “Back Home on Maple Avenue.” Her Italian heritage nourished this collection of poems and short stories. She enjoyed sewing, the theater, traveling, and writing. Most of all, she enjoyed spending time with her large family.

In retirement, she continued to serve as secretary for the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC) in Nalcrest, a retirement community for letter carriers where she lived with her husband of 65 years, Angelo “Bucky” DeTora. 

She is survived by a son, Peter P. DeTora and his wife Dianne of Bristol, granddaughters Gina and Tonya, and two great-grandsons of Florida, Nicholas and Connor, brother, Angelo Calitri, and god-daughter, Marilyn Waugh. She is also survived by many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Angelo “Bucky” DeTora, brother Peter Calitri, sisters Olympia Sousa, Florence Travasos, Anna DiMario, Evelyn Conlon and Gloria Calitri.

Plans for a celebration of Violet’s life will be held in Rhode Island at a future date to be determined.

2024 by East Bay Media Group

Barrington · Bristol · East Providence · Little Compton · Portsmouth · Tiverton · Warren · Westport
Meet our staff
Jim McGaw

A lifelong Portsmouth resident, Jim graduated from Portsmouth High School in 1982 and earned a journalism degree from the University of Rhode Island in 1986. He's worked two different stints at East Bay Newspapers, for a total of 18 years with the company so far. When not running all over town bringing you the news from Portsmouth, Jim listens to lots and lots and lots of music, watches obscure silent films from the '20s and usually has three books going at once. He also loves to cook crazy New Orleans dishes for his wife of 25 years, Michelle, and their two sons, Jake and Max.