Cranston Police Department Retirees Association
The organization for retired members of the Cranston, RI Police Department
Detective Frank R. Zito
Badge 157
May 15, 2017 – It is with profound sadness that we announce the death of Detective Frank R. Zito, 70, of Port St. Lucie, Florida. Frank served 29 years with the department before retiring in in 1996, many of those years in the Bureau of Criminal Identification Unit within the Detective Division. He is survived by his wife Phyllis, and his two sons, John and Ronald. He’s buried in St. Ann’s Cemetery in Cranston.
Rest in peace our brother.
Ptl. Russell B. Gross
June 20, 2017 – Patrolman Russell B. Gross, Sr., was born in 1922, and lived most of his life in Cranston. He was the devoted husband of Barbara H. (Farrow) Gross for 69 years. He was a World War II veteran of the Army Air Corps, and a Communicant of St. David’s on the Hill Episcopal Church in Cranston. Russell was appointed to the police department on April 30, 1951. He passed away on June 20, 2017, and is buried in Swan Point Cemetery in Providence, R. I.
Rest in peace our brother.
Off. Cheryl Zola, #275
Retired CPD officer Cheryl J. Zola, (Badge 275), passed away on February 4, 2018, at the age of 61. Cheryl was the department’s second female officer. During her career she served with the Patrol Division, and was one of the original four members of the Cranston Community Police unit. She is survived by her parents, two sons, four grandchildren, and four siblings.
Rest in peace our sister.
Leonard “Lenny” D’Errico
Badge 155
December 24, 2018 – Retired officer Leonard “Lenny” D’Errico, 72, passed away at Kent County Hospital surrounded by his loving family. Born in Providence, he was the son of Edward J. and Jennie (Calitri) D’Errico. He was the husband of the late Dianne L. (Lombardo) D’Errico. After retiring from the police department, Lenny worked for the Cranston Public School’s Athletic Department. He is survived by his daughter Dawn Piechocki and her husband John, of Warwick, and his son Derik D’Errico and his wife Jill of Harrisville.
Rest in Peace our brother.
Det. William J. Palmer
Badge 324
Detective William J. Palmer passed away on February 25, 2019. He was the beloved husband of Mary Ann (DeBalsi) Palmer, and father to three children, Bill, Jr., and twins Jenna and Joseph. Bill served the city of Cranston for 28 years, working in the patrol division and later as a detective in the department’s C.S.I. Division for 17 years. Bill was also an instructor at the New England Institute of Technology where he taught forensics in the criminal justice program.
Rest in peace our brother.
Detective Robert G. Baccari, age 70, of Cranston, passed away on Monday, November 25, 2019 at RI Hospital. He was the beloved husband of Mary Katherine (Esposito) Baccari. Born in Providence, he was a son of the late Ido and Joann (Brigida) Baccari.
Robert was a police officer for the Cranston Police Department for 24 years before retiring as a Detective in the Special Investigations Unit. He served as a board member for the Cranston Police Retiree’s Association, as well as a member of the Santa Maria Di Prata Society and St. Mary’s Feast Society. He enjoyed being with his family and golfing.
Besides his wife Kathy, he is survived by his loving son Erik R. Baccari and his wife Loriann of Cranston; cherished granddaughter Olivia Ann Baccari; and dear brother John Baccarie of Sterling, CT.
Rest in peace our brother.
Det. Steve Agresti
Det. Steve Agresti
Detective Steve Agresti, 71, passed away on December 9, 2019. He was born in the Bronx, N.Y., to Camille and Augustine Agresti. He is survived by his wife of 33 years Wanda (Phillips) Agresti, as well as his daughters, grand children, and great-grandchildren. Steve served with the Military Police in the R. I. National Guard. He joined the department in 1972, and during his tenure served with the patrol division, B.C.I. division, and prosecution division before retiring to Florida in 1990.
Rest in peace our brother.
Sgt. James Cooke
Sergeant James S. Cooke passed away peacefully on April 3, 2020 at the age of 81. He was the beloved son of late James C. and Yvonne A. (Dauphinais) Cooke and loving brother of the late Jean Riley and Patricia Lenardson.
He attended Mount Pleasant High School and proudly served as a member of the United States Navy and as a Sergeant in the Cranston Police Department. James shared an over 40-year marriage with the late Margaret A. Cooke whom he had four beautiful children with. He was the proud father of children Jay Cooke, Tracey Cooke Palmer, Lisa Cooke Linehan, James Cooke, and their respective spouses Beth Cooke, James Palmer, Robert Linehan, and Shannon Cooke.
An avid golfer, sports fan and beach lover, James spent the last 14 years of his life living in Lakeland, Florida where he shared meaningful companionships with the late Dorothy Yabroudy, and Genevieve Harris. In addition to his children, he is survived by eight grandchildren; Matthew, Danielle, Jace, Samantha, Jackson, Tyler, Lucas, and Easton.
Rest in peace our brother.
Detective Robert Nunes
Detective Robert J. Nunes, 88, passed away on April 15, 2020 at a nursing home in Providence. He was the beloved husband of Rose (Cortez) Nunes for 62 years. Born in Providence, Robert was a son of the late Joseph and Rita (Bradford) Nunes. Mr. Nunes, a graduate of Bryant College, served with the Cranston Police Department for 30 years and was a veteran of the Korean War. He proudly served on the board of the International Brotherhood of Police Officers. Upon retirement, Robert and Rose retired to Florida to enjoy the weather, the golf course, and hosting family visits. Robert stayed active as a City Councilman there for many years.
Besides his wife, he’s survived by his daughters, Kathleen A. Falaguerra (David) of Warwick, and Jean R. Overby (Miguel) of Providence. Robert was the cherished grandfather of Dianne Carilli (Carl) and Christine, Steven, and Andrew Falaguerra. He was the great grandfather of Olivia, Caroline, and Gabriella Carilli.
Robert was one of eight siblings (Josephine Sullivan, Dorothy Domina, Rita Mattera, Thomas Nunes, Rosemary Crooks, Edward Nunes) and he is survived by his sister Shirley Coleman of Inverness, Florida.
He is buried in the Veterans Cemetery in Exeter, RI.
Rest in Peace our brother.
Detective
Christopher D’Ambrosio
Detective Christopher D’Ambrosio passed away peacefully on May 1, 2020. He was the husband of Myrna (Rodyn) D’Ambrosio for 26 years. He was a son of the late Christino and Helen (Caron) D’Ambrosio. Besides his wife he leaves his two sons, Christopher R. D’Ambrosio, Jr., and Thomas M. D’Ambrosio, two step children, Michael D. Indell, and Lori B. (Indell) McCreavy, his two brothers Kenneth and Steven, and five grandchildren.
Chris joined the CPD in 1966 and retired as a detective in 1988. During his career he’d worked on the Attorney General’s Special Task Force on White Collar Crime. After leaving the department he began a new career as a teacher at North Kingstown High School where he taught American and World Literature, English Composition, and Drama and Film. He also taught Criminal Justice, and English at Rhode Island College and CCRI, and worked part-time for the Guidance Department at LaSalle counseling students with emotional and drug related problems. He also lectured in undergraduate classes and professional seminars on Criminal Justice. During both of his careers, he wrote several human interest articles and opinion pieces which appeared in the Providence Journal.
Rest in peace our brother.