Joanne
M.
Sorrento
(Mazzarella)
Joanne M. (Mazzarella) Sorrento, 87, of Pawcatuck, passed away at Apple Rehab Mystic on Thursday, November 1, 2018, just 9 days after her beloved husband of 62 years, Phil Sorrento, passed away.
Born in Pawcatuck, she was the daughter of the late Joseph and Angelina Mazzarella.
Joanne was a graduate of the RI School of Nursing before receiving her Master’s Degree from the University of New Haven. She was employed in 1959 at The Westerly Hospital as a Registered Nurse and worked her way up to Director of Nursing in 1976, a position she retained until February of 1987. Among other achievements, Joanne was instrumental in establishing a Cardiac Rehabilitation Program and implementing Ambulatory Care Services. She then served as a Nursing Consultant and later as an Administrative Consultant until her retirement. She was a longtime communicant of St. Michael’s Church.
She leaves two children, Joseph M. Sorrento and Steven Sorrento and fiancée Lisa Shaw, all of Pawcatuck; and a grandson Riley Sorrento of Groton. She was predeceased by her twin sister Jean Newbury; and survived by Jean’s husband Phillip T. Newbury and a brother-in-law James Crowley. Joanne was also predeceased by her brothers, Carl and Michael and sisters, Frances, Ida, Josephine, Eleanor and Mary.
Visiting hours will be held on Monday, Nov. 5 from 4-7pm at Gaffney-Dolan Funeral Home, 59 Spruce St., Westerly. Relatives and friends are also invited to attend a Funeral Liturgy that will take place at 11am on Tuesday, Nov. 6 at St. Mary’s Church, 95 Main St., Stonington. There is no procession from the funeral home to church. Burial will follow at St. Michael Cemetery, Pawcatuck. For online condolences please visit www.gaffneydolanfuneralhome.com