Diane Cardegna-Angell, 52, of East Greenwich, passed away Friday, February 23, 2007 at Woman and Infants Hospital in Providence. She was the beloved wife of Gaythorne “Poochie” Angell. Born in Providence, she was the daughter of Caroline (Ranieri) Voccio and the late Arthur Cardegna.
Diane was a graduate of Providence College where she earned a bachelor’s degree in political science. She went on to receive her juris doctorate degree from Suffolk University School of Law. Upon graduation from law school, Mrs. Angell served as a prosecutor for the Rhode Island Attorney General’s office for fifteen years. She was a Special Assistant Attorney General in both the civil and criminal divisions. While working in the criminal division, she chaired the legislative sub-committee of the Attorney General’s Domestic Violence Task Force. She was instrumental in the drafting and lobbying for key domestic violence legislation. While working in the civil division, Mrs. Angell served as legal counsel to the Rhode Island Contractor’s Registration Board for ten years. Her role as legal counsel included advising the director and board on critical legal matters. In her capacity, she handled all criminal prosecutions of contractors as well as civil appeals to the Rhode Island Superior and Supreme Courts. She also was a registered government lobbyist for the Rhode Island Contractors Registration Board where she drafted regulatory laws and testified before various committees of the Rhode Island Legislature.
Besides her husband, Mrs. Angell is survived by her sister Rosann Cardegna of Seekonk, Massachusetts and her three stepchildren, Lori Savickas and her husband, Joseph of North Kingstown: Michael Angell of Smithfield, and Richard Angell and his wife, Maria, of Lincoln, and her sister-in-law, Linda Angell.
She leaves seven step-grandchildren, two nephews, one niece, two great-nephews and three great-nieces.
Her funeral will be held Monday at 9:00 a.m. from the MACERONI Funeral Home, 1381 Smith St., North Providence, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m. in Mary, Mother of Mankind Church, Fourth St., North Providence, VISITATION Sunday 4-8 p.m. Burial will be in Swan Point Cemetery, Providence. Memorial contributions may be made to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 44 Binney St., Boston, MA 02115 or Mary, Mother of Mankind Church, 25 Fourth St., North Providence, RI 02911.