Joseph M. Maguire

Joseph M. Maguire, 77, of North Providence passed away peacefully in his home and with his children by his side on July 21, 2022. He was born on June 28, 1945 in Providence, Rhode Island, to Thomas F. Maguire, Sr. and Lillian (Trainor) Maguire. He grew up in the Smith Hill section of Providence, graduated from La Salle Academy in 1963, and obtained bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from Rhode Island College. He had a storied half century career as a school administrator at Roger Williams Middle School, Nathan Bishop Middle School, Central High School, and Hope High School, to name a few.

Joe challenged his students and always treated them with dignity and respect. If they were hungry, he fed them. If they needed an identity (and who doesn’t in middle school?), he gave them a nickname that stuck for decades. If they were late to school, he might show up at their home and drive them to school. And they loved him for it, and he them. One of Joe’s greatest joys in life was bumping into former students around town and celebrating their accomplishments. No one loved their job more than Joe. Just two months before his death and while on blood thinners and chemo drugs, he was caught sneaking off on his Vespa to go to work at the E Cubed Academy.

Joe was blessed with an army of close friends from his neighborhood, La Salle, college, the schools he served, the gyms and coffee shops he frequented, and last, but not least, his crazy and immensely loyal band of bicycling brothers. In the last days of his life, they all converged at his bedside where they mostly laughed but also cried through their goodbyes.

Joe is predeceased by his parents and his brother Tom. He is survived by his son, Matt Maguire (Virginia) of Atlanta, daughter Christine Maguire DiLuglio (Anthony) of North Providence, and their mother, Charlene (Berard) Maguire of South Carolina. Joe is also survived by his grandchildren, Liam Maguire and Blake Maguire of Atlanta, his sisters Monica Sherlock (Tom) and Roz Killilea (Jim), and his many nieces and nephews.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Agnes Catholic Church, 100 Chatham Street in Providence at 11:00 am on Friday, July 29, 2022. Family and friends are invited to celebrate Joe’s life immediately after the service at The Woods Yoga at 1525 Old Louisquisset Pike in Lincoln, which is owned by his daughter. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Agnes Catholic Church or the Rhode Island Black Storytellers at 393 Broad Street, Box 14, Providence, RI 02907.