obituary

Ret. Chief Francis D. Turbitt

Posted

SMITHFIELD — Ret. Chief Francis D. Turbitt, 68, of Cambridge Circle, the brother of Deacon Robert A. Turbit II of Coventry, died June 14. He was the husband of Bernice (DeFreitas) Turbitt. They had been married for 45 years.

Born in Providence, he was the son of the late Robert and Mary (Murray) Turbitt. He served as a battalion chief for Providence Fire Department. He was appointed to the department in 1961, and promoted to lieutenant on May 3, 1978. He became a captain on March 8, 1987, and was promoted to battalion chief on Oct. 1, 1990. He served as director of training.

Chief Turbitt was an Army veteran and graduate of Providence College. He was a member of St. Michael Church, Smithfield, and formerly served as a Eucharistic minister at St. Pius Church, Providence.

In addition to Deacon Turbitt, he is survived by two sons, Kevin Turbitt and his wife Tomoko Shibusama, and Sean Turbitt; three daughters, Robin Moore and her husband Terry, Kristen Thurston and husband John, and Erin Turbitt; a brother, Donald Turbitt of Glocester; three sisters, Virginia Morgan of Smithfield, Arlene Lee of Florida and Carol Crain of Narragansett, and several grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated June 18 in St. Pius Church. Burial was in St. Joseph Cemetery, West Greenwich.