Adriana DeMarco

a fiery, quick-witted woman whose personality far outweighed her stature, died peacefully with her family by her side on Thursday January 15, 2026. She was 96 years old.

Born April 13,1929 in Naples, Italy to Erminia and Rafaelle Ciaravolo, Adriana was one of four sisters who grew up in this energetic and vibrant city that mixed grandeur and grit, an apropos setting and set of circumstances that would shape her core principles. She had fortitude, navigating life’s complexities with bold opinions while remaining staunchly committed to family. She expressed her love openly and theatrically and, much like her hometown, lived a life of authentic experiences and displays of affection.

Though, it wasn’t a Neapolitan who stole her heart, but an Italian-American Sailor born in Brooklyn and stationed at the NATO base in Naples who would fundamentally alter her life’s journey and spark a transatlantic voyage that would begin a brave new chapter. Adriana met Louis DeMarco when he arrived at the Ciaravolo household in Naples to deliver a package of lace collars sent by members of the Ciaravolo family who had immigrated to America where they met the DeMarco family, and used Louie’s deployment overseas as an opportunity to send this special package. The two married in Naples on April 16, 1952, had their first daughter, and moved to the United States in 1954 when Adriana was 25 years old.

Adriana and her family settled in Rhode Island, eventually purchasing a home on Glengrove Ave in Cranston’s Eden Park neighborhood and would have two more daughters. Adriana navigated her new life and growing family seemingly with ease, establishing roots that would grow deep and raising her daughters to value family and connection. Adriana’s hospitality and general acceptance of people for who they are created a beautiful open door-policy and placed her home at the center of a growing network of family and friends. Many of Adriana’s daughters’ friends saw her as a second mother and would often find themselves in her home.

She was known for regularly hosting Sunday dinners and holiday gatherings that crammed as many people around the table as possible. She was an incredible cook who wielded a wooden spoon as both a tool of the trade and, allegedly according to some sources, a weapon of choice during a lively discussion.

It was forty years ago when Adriana became a grandmother, a moment that permanently altered her persona as she took on the role of “Nonna,” a title she wore like a crown and became her name to all with whom she’d interact. Nonna’s deep love for and dedication to her eight grandchildren was palpable. She was the Italian grandmother who everyone wanted and needed, the perfect blend of affection, honesty, and wit to create lasting connections and memorable experiences.

Nonna enjoyed a game or activity that brought you closer around the table and was a huge fan of Scrabble, a game she originally began playing as a means to learn English after moving to the States. Much later, she’d often try sneaking an Italian word onto the board in hopes that her granddaughter didn’t notice. High-Low-Jack was her card game of choice, one she began playing with her friends who would bet quarters and use their winnings to go out for lunch, and the one she’d later get the whole table involved in after a meal. She stopped betting quarters, but never lost her competitive edge and desire to win the hand.

Nonna was forthcoming with her opinions on most things in life, but her passion (and sometimes stubbornness) was most viscerally felt on the topic of food. She had a disdain for oregano and its “foul, overbearing, and repugnant flavor.” She would only sweeten her sauce with marsala wine, as sugar “was a shortcut that lacked depth.” Espresso after dinner was essential, and a precursor for Sambuca or limoncello to “settle the stomach.” At some point in life, she decided to hang up her apron for a final time, but maintained a commanding presence in the kitchen offering guidance and serving as the chief sampler offering critique of everyone’s dishes.

Dining out became a pastime, and she spent countless nights enjoying meals with her family and her favorite spots. Nonna would taste everyone’s meals to ensure they were cooked properly and had even been known to send someone’s back if it wasn't to her standards, even if they were fine with it as is. She was particularly sensitive about the freshness of seafood, often putting the server through a long series of questions to gauge the freshness of whatever she was ordering. Nonna was always too much of a lady to order herself a dessert, but would strongly encourage her tablemates to order something. She would then use her demitasse espresso spoon to just “try” everyone’s desserts, quickly devouring the whole thing in a series of tiny bites; the family got in the habit of ordering a tiramisu that just happened to be placed within her reach.

Though, despite her strong preferences for Italian food and quality ingredients, Nonna was no snob. While she would savor Gianduiotto fine Italian chocolates, she had a deep love for hotdogs. It was this type of juxtaposition that so accurately depicted the woman she was, an equilibrium to be envied. She was blunt with her opinions and didn’t shy away from telling you what she thought you should be doing differently, while also being tender, affectionate, and a constant source of admiration for the people she loved most.

Nonna’s legacy will be remembered most by her daughter Tina McKendall (DeMarco) and her husband Don McKendall, her daughter Toni Shola (DeMarco) and her husband Tommy Shola, and her daughter Adriana Pagano (DeMarco) and her late husband Lt. Jim Pagano, her eight grandchildren Donny McKendall, Alex McKendall, Christina McKendall, Alexa Donegan (Shola), Adri Pagano, Benjamin Shola, Louie Pagano, and Mia Shola, and four great-grandchildren.

A private viewing for family and close friends will take place at NARDOLILLO FUNERAL HOME & Crematory, 1278 Park Ave, Cranston, RI, Friday, January 23, 2026 from 9:30-10:30am. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Mark Church, 9 Garden Court, Cranston, RI at 11am. Committal services and burial will follow in RI Veterans Memorial Cemetery, 301 South County Trail, Exeter, RI. Memorial contributions in lieu of flowers are preferred to the KCNT1 Epilepsy Foundation: kcnt1epilepsy.org/donate.