Pauline Florence Alice Papineau, 85, of Lincoln, went home to be with the Lord on Aug. 4, 2024, at home in Lincoln.

Pauline was born in Central Falls, the daughter of Annette (Fredette) and Louis Papineau.

She was a graduate of Notre Dame Catholic School and resided in Central Falls for many years. She also resided in Smithfield and Lincoln. As a youth, she was a member of the Notre Dame Marching Band where she proudly played the glockenspiel. She was a longtime employee in the office of the former Nissen Bakery, where she made lifelong friends. In later years, she worked at the former Andreoni’s Market in Lincoln.

Pauline was known for her small stature and hardy laugh. Her children would joke that if you're looking for Mom, just listen for her laugh, you could hear it all the way down the street. She loved to dance and enjoyed good times with family and friends, and plenty of laughter.

In her younger years, Pauline was an avid bowler. More recently, her favorite pastimes were making jigsaw puzzles and playing Baileys and Biographies with her friends at Atria Lincoln Place where she resided for the past year. Pauline also loved to travel and visited several national parks as well as Italy.

Pauline was the former wife of the late Joseph G. Hamel with whom she shared her five children. She was also the former wife of the late John T. O’Melia.

Pauline is survived by her children, Paul Hamel of Abilene, Texas; Michael Hamel and his wife, Lorene, of Lincoln; Daniel Hamel and his wife, Doryanne, of Westerly; Denise Aubin of West Warwick; and Lise Barnett and her husband, Ronald Jr., of Lincoln. She was the loving sister of Raymond Papineau, and his partner Kurt Davis, of St. Petersburg, Fla., and Donald Papineau and his wife, Pam, of Ayer, Mass. She was the sister-in-law of Helen Papineau, Pierrette Lindley, and Maurice Hamel and his wife, Geraldine. Pauline also leaves her 14 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her brothers Paul Papineau and Gerald “Gerry” Papineau, and her brothers-in-law Ronald Hamel and Gerald Lindley.

The family would like to thank the staff of Atria Lincoln Place for all the kindness and care they gave our mom during the past year.

Visiting hours will be held Wednesday, August 7th, from 4pm-7pm, at Keefe Funeral Home, 5 Higginson Ave., Lincoln, R.I. Her funeral Mass will be held Friday, August 9th, at 11 a.m., at St. Michael Church, 80 Farnum Pike, Smithfield. Burial will be private.

In lieu of flowers, donations to the NEHI Foundation, www.nehiresearch.org, or the American Heart Association, www.heart.org/, would be greatly appreciated.