Joseph A. Priestly

PRIESTLEY, JOSEPH A. SR., 87, of 715 Putnam Pike, Greenville, husband of Beverly (Main) Priestley, died Tuesday, February 10, 2009 at the Village at Waterman Lake.

Born in Lawrence, MA, he was a son of the late Harry Priestley and Mary (Tordoff) Priestley.

A textile engineer, Mr. Priestley was president of the George C. Moore Co., Westerly, Rhode Island from which he retired in 1986. He also served as vice president and director of Chicopee Manufacturing Co., the textile division of Johnson & Johnson, where he was employed for 26 years, and as general manager of the firm’s Moore Fabrics Co., Pawtucket. He was active in several textile industry associations including the Northern Textile Association.

Upon his retirement, Mr. Priestley divided his time between his homes in Sunapee, NH and Englewood, FL, and subsequently in Eastman, NH and Venice, FL. He formerly resided in Barrington and Westerly.

An avid golfer, Mr. Priestley won the Rhode Island Country Club’s Member-Guest Tournament in 1970 with his partner Dr. Robert Fortin. He also celebrated two holes-in-one.

Mr. Priestley served in radio communications during World War II with the Army Air Corps. He was a graduate of the Lowell Institute of Technology, now known as The University of Massachusetts Lowell.

Besides his wife of 62 years, Mr. Priestley will be dearly missed by his children Joseph A. Jr., Carole A. and William H., all of East Greenwich and Pamela P. O’Connor of South Kingstown; his daughter-in-law Kinda R. of E. Greenwich and son-in-law James F. O’Connor Jr. of So. Kingstown; and ten grandchildren, James F. O’Connor III and Courtney B. O’Connor, Pamela B., Joseph A. III and Samuel L., Andrew M. Johnson and Matthew P. Johnson, and Georgia R., Harry R. and Owen R.

Preceded in death by his sister Marion Carver and brother William, he will also be missed by four sisters, Eleanor, Charlotte Johnson, Priscilla Lenox and Janet Richardson.

Visiting hours will be held at the Hill Funeral Home, 822 Main St., E. Greenwich from 5 to 8 p.m. on Friday, February 13. His funeral will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, February 14 at the Central Baptist Church, 16 Elm St., Westerly. Burial with military honors will follow at the River Bend Cemetery, Westerly.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Joseph A. Priestley Sr. Scholarship Fund at Mr. Priestley’s alma mater, The University of Massachusetts Lowell.