2024 -- H 8289

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LC006159

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2024

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H O U S E   R E S O L U T I O N

EXPRESSING CONDOLENCES ON THE PASSING OF THE HONORABLE MARY LOUISE

WALTER

     Introduced By: Representatives Azzinaro, Kennedy, Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Place,
Spears, Costantino, Tanzi, Ackerman, and Ajello

     Date Introduced: May 21, 2024

     Referred To: House read and passed

     WHEREAS, It is with deep sadness that this House has learned of the passing of the

Honorable Mary Louise Walter of Westerly. She was raised in Pawcatuck, and attended St.

Michael’s School and Stonington High School, and while at Stonington, she met the love of her

life, the late Ronald Walter, whom was her beloved husband for 55 years; and

     WHEREAS, Shortly after being married, Mary and her husband moved to Westerly

where she was a loving wife and a devoted mother to her daughters, Susan and Raeann. She kept

a loving, warm and nurturing home for her family. She loved beautiful things and enjoyed

making baskets, painting, sewing curtains, planting rock gardens and creating Christmas crafts,

all of which made her home a beautiful and welcoming place in which to reside. She also had a

special talent for making high quality clothing for her daughters; and

     WHEREAS, Outside of raising her family, Mrs. Walter taught preschool, coordinated the

St. Clare’s May procession for many years, volunteered as a docent at the Babcock Smith House,

was a Girl Scout Troop Leader, volunteered her services at the Westerly Public Library, and

owned and operated a bookstore; and

     WHEREAS, Mary Louise Walter was also a distinguished public servant who always

served her constituents with abiding integrity and tireless devotion. She served as a Dunn’s

Corners Tax Collector, and later served as a member of the Rhode Island House of

Representatives. She was elected in 1984 to the Rhode Island General Assembly, representing

District 51 in Westerly, and served with distinction until 1998. Well-liked and highly-regarded by

her colleagues, Mrs. Walter served on the Corporations Committee and on the Joint Committee

on Environment and Energy; and

     WHEREAS, In her free time, Mrs. Walter was a devoted grandmother to her six

grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren. She enjoyed spending summers and holidays, breach

way crabbing, cookouts, playing bocce and badminton, taking trips to Mystic Aquarium, doing

arts and crafts projects and taking trips to visit farms. She was also a devout Christian her entire

life and took great pleasure and comfort in reading her Bible regularly; now, therefore be it

     RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby

expresses its condolences on the passing of the Honorable Mary Louise Walter; and be it further

     RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to

transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to Susan Tronti and family, and Raeann Smoot

and family.

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LC006159

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