ALEXANDRIA — Ellen Phyliss (Carney) Paterson, 92, of Alexandria, passed away peacefully at her home on Thursday, August 18. She was the beloved wife of the late Douglas F. Paterson Sr.
She was born on October 25, 1929 in Providence, RI to Edward and Elsie S. (Harper) Carney. She resided in Lincoln, RI for 45 years before retiring to Alexandria in 1992. She received her BS from Rivier University and her Masters Degree from Nova University.
Phyliss was a stay-at-home mom until her youngest child entered school. She then began her career as a teacher/director of St. Mark Lutheran Nursery School in Woonsocket, RI from 1969-1978. After which she become the director of the Hamlet Avenue Early Childhood Learning Center in Woonsocket until retirement in 1992. She also volunteered for the RI Rape Crisis Center’s Battered Women’s Helpline. In 1981, she was appointed to the RI Governor’s Commission to rewrite the state’s daycare standards.
Phyliss was the loving mother to sons, Gregory Paterson of Waleska, GA, Douglas Paterson Jr. (Muriel) of Pascoag, RI, Steven Paterson of Lincoln, RI, David Paterson (Melissa) of Lincoln, RI, and Andrew Paterson (Janice) of Chepachet, RI; and daughters, E. Susan Latimer (Bruce) of North Scituate, RI, the late Sandra Blais (David) of Alexandria, Elizabeth DeCorte (Alfred) of Chepachet, RI, and Cheryl Demisey of North Providence, RI. She was “Nana” to 15 grandchildren and “More Nana” to 20 great-grandchildren. She was younger sister to Elsie DiSandro of Narragansett, RI, and the late Edward Carney Jr. and the late Raymond Carney.
In retirement, Phyliss, continued her charitable work at the Alzheimer’s Day Program at Kearsarge Presbyterian Church, hospice volunteer for Pemi Baker Community Health, and coordinator for Religious Education at Holy Trinity Parish in Bristol, where she also served as Eucharistic Minister and Lector.
Services - There are no calling hours. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Fr. Mark Dollard on Wednesday, August 24, 2022 at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of Grace Chapel of Holy Trinity Parish, 2 West Shore Road, Bristol. Interment will be at a later date. at the NH State Veterans Cemetery, Boscawen.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in her memory to the Lakes Region VNA & Hospice, 186 Waukewan St., Meredith, NH 03253.
To share a memory or condolence please visit www.EmmonsFuneralHome.com.


(0) entries
Sign the guestbook.
Log In
Keep it Clean. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, racist or sexually-oriented language.
PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK.
Don't Threaten. Threats of harming another person will not be tolerated.
Be Truthful. Don't knowingly lie about anyone or anything.
Be Nice. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism that is degrading to another person.
Be Proactive. Use the 'Report' link on each comment to let us know of abusive posts.
Share with Us. We'd love to hear eyewitness accounts, the history behind an article.