Eleanor Carreiro, 87

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WARREN, R.I. – Eleanor “Ellie” Louise (Kelman) Carreiro of Warren, died peacefully on Oct. 18.

She is survived by her husband Joseph (“Joe”) Carreiro and younger brother David Kelman; her children, Steven Pearlman, Stuart Pearlman, Joel Pearlman, Lauren Pearlman-Sugita; and her stepchildren, Jane Carreiro, Peter Carreiro and Amy Carreiro. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Adriana Pearlman, Casey Pearlman, Matthew Pearlman, Brianna Pearlman, Rachel Pearlman, Josh Pearlman, Hannah Pearlman, Alessandra Carreiro, Nicholas Carreiro and Brent Carreiro, as well as her great-grandchildren Jace Pearlman Telhu and Ellie Pearlman Telhu.

Ellie was born in Providence, the daughter of Anna (Gubernick) and William Kelman on March 22, 1930. She grew up in Cranston (Edgewood) and witnessed the construction of the Edgewood Port shipyard. She attended Syracuse University, where she received an interior design degree in 1951. Ellie used her design skills to construct or renovate many residential and commercial properties in and around Rhode Island.

As a mother of four children in the early 1960s, she pursued a painting degree at the Rhode Island School of Design. She also co-founded The Arboretum, an East Providence restaurant that combined gourmet dining with an art gallery and folk-art store. 

Ellie was everyone’s cool mom; she could tell a captivating story sprinkled with humorous quips and rhymes. With no hesitation, she could intellectualize about race, religion, politics and art. She was open to and promoted diversity and strongly believed in standing up against all forms of discrimination.

Ellie’s artistic talents were undisputable, and she will live on in her design work, paintings, drawings and many other creative projects. Her entire home embodies her life as an artist and designer.

A memorial-celebration for Ellie will be held at noon at her home in Warren on Sunday, December 10 (potluck contributions welcome). RSVP to elliesmemorialcelebration@gmail.com.

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