Francis R. Stetkiewicz, onetime mayor of Cumberland, passed away at the age of 91.  Born July 24, 1932, he grew up in a tenement house on Cowden St. in Central Falls. After marrying Paula (Mojkowski) Stetkiewicz in 1958, the couple moved to Cumberland, raising five children and living together in their family home for 65 years.

He is survived by Paula, sons Michael, Mark, Raymond, and Christian, and daughter Ellen, along with eight grandchildren. His sister Helen Mojkowski, of Springfield, Mass., also survives him.

As a boy coming of age during the Great Depression, Frank worked multiple jobs to help support his family. He embraced a strong work ethic throughout his life and an enduring commitment to public service. He also maintained close ties with many of his childhood friends, regularly bowling, attending mass, and meeting at Honey Dew Donuts to share old stories with them.

After graduating from St. Raphael Academy in Pawtucket, Frank and some friends joined the U.S. Coast Guard in 1950. Frank served as radioman on flights in PBY flying boats and B-17s out of Salem, Mass., and Newfoundland, Canada, performing search and rescues, delivering supplies and tracking icebergs in the North Atlantic. Despite working on and above the sea, he never learned to swim.

After returning home from the service, Frank earned money working nights and weekends, supplemented by funding from the G.I. Bill, to pay his tuition at Providence College. He earned a B.S. in political science in 1959.

He continued his public service by joining a group of local citizens who established the Cumberland-Lincoln Boys Club (now Boys and Girls Club of Northern RI) in 1961. Frank would eventually serve as club president in the early 1970s, and he would continue to support youth sports and facilities throughout his political career.

After working in financial services at Dun & Bradstreet for nearly 20 years, Frank first ran for a seat on Cumberland's town council in 1976. Along with several other political newcomers, Frank won election as an outsider candidate, without the endorsement of the incumbent Democratic Party. Two years later, he would win a special election for town administrator, the precursor to today's office of the mayor, which he would hold until 1990. He had the distinction of being both Cumberland's last town administrator and its first mayor.

As mayor, he made himself available day or night to assist the people of Cumberland. He kept property taxes low in part through a controversial purchase of the former Fiberglas plant in Ashton, which was later sold at a considerable profit. He launched one of the nation's first municipal recycling programs and, along with former Central Falls Mayor Carlos Silva, established the Sri Chinmoy Peace Bridge on Broad Street, symbolically connecting his two hometowns.

Frank's public service continued after his retirement from politics, including 10 years back in Central Falls working for the city housing authority. Even in his 70s, Frank stayed active, serving as the chairman of the committee that began the process of unifying Cumberland's multiple fire districts.

Frank always honored and respected his parents. His mother Helen (Matthews) Stetkiewicz proudly marveled at his many friendships as a boy. When Frank was honored as Rhode Island's highest-ranking Polish-American elected official, his mother would note that he was actually "half Irish". Even that turned out to be inaccurate, owing to a very small sliver of English lineage. Frank was a direct descendant of Ebenezer Hancock, the younger brother of John Hancock, signatory of the U.S. Declaration of Independence.

Frank's father Joseph P. Stetkiewicz, once a champion amateur boxer, was also a lifelong public servant. He joined the Central Falls Police Department in the 1920s, and ultimately advanced to become chief of police from 1946 to 1968.

In addition to his parents, Frank is preceded in death by his older brothers Joseph Stett, John Stetkiewicz and Robert Stevens.

Relatives and friends are kindly invited to Frank's Life Celebration to be held on Thursday, July 11, 2024, 4-7 p.m., in the J. J. Duffy Funeral Home, 757 Mendon Road Cumberland. There will be a family led Time of Reflection held at 5:30 PM. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to Boys and Girls Club of Northern RI: https://bgcnri.org/.