Joan Arlene Custy

Joan Arlene (Sullivan) Custy, 81, of Newport died Tuesday, February 2, 2016 at Village House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Newport, RI. She was the devoted and loving wife of Raymond M. Custy for 46 years.Born on April 8, 1934 in Newport, RI, she was the daughter of the late John J. and Sophia (Montag) Sullivan.Arlene was a 1951 graduate of St. Catherine's Academy, a member of the Class of 1955 at Salve Regina University, graduating cum laude and received her master's degree from the University of Rhode Island. She proudly taught in the Newport School system from 1955 to 1991, with a one year leave of absence to teach with the Air Force Overseas School in Tokyo, Japan, a year she described as one of the most fulfilling of her life. Her students were very important to her.A devout Catholic, she was a communicant at St. Mary's Church in Newport where she served as a Eucharistic Minister, was a member of the Pastoral Council and the Education Board and taught in St. Mary's Religious Education program.In addition to her husband, she is survived by her brother, Lawrence C. Sullivan and his wife, Kathleen Sullivan of North Reading, MA, and her sister, Anne E. Mills of Newport, RI, her nieces and nephews, Sandra A. Conron of North Reading, MA, Judith L. Gosselin of Deerfield, NH, Jacqueline A. Bonosoro of North Andover, MA, Kathleen M. Dunn of Newport, RI, Timothy J. Mills of Middletown, RI and Stephanie L. Mills of Cranston, RI, as well as several great nieces and great nephews. She was the sister-in-law of the late Stuart K. Mills, Jr.Calling hours will be held on Thursday, February 4, 2016, from 4:00-6:00 PM in Memorial Funeral Home, 375 Broadway, Newport, RI.Her funeral will be held on Friday, February 5, 2016, at 8:00 AM from the funeral home, followed by a mass of Christian Burial at 9:00 AM in St. Marys Roman Catholic Church, Spring Street, Newport, RI.Burial will be in St. Columba Cemetery, Browns Lane, Middletown, RI.Donations in her memory may be made to Beacon Hospice, 1130 Ten Rod Road, Suite C104, North Kingstown, RI 02852 or to Village House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Activity Fund, 70 Harrison Avenue, Newport, RI 02840. The family would like to thank the staffs of Village House and Beacon Hospice for their loving care of Arlene during her illness. Cemetery Details St. Columba Catholic Cemetery Brown's Lane Middletown, RI, 02842 Visitation FEB 4. 04:00 PM - 06:00 PM Memorial Funeral Home 375 Broadway Newport, RI, US, 02840 info@memorialfuneralhome.com http://www.memorialfuneralhome.com Service FEB 5. 09:00 AM St. Marys Catholic Church 12 William Street Newport, RI, US, 02840