Alicia Spinner

January 23, 2022

Alicia Spinner, 78, of Newport RI recently passed away on January 23rd, 2022. Born in Bristol CT and raised in Princeton NJ, Alicia was a long-time Rhode Island resident and a retired pre-K and primary school teacher. Her father was a marine biologist for the USDA, and her mother was a home economics teacher. Following in her mother’s footsteps, Alicia attended teaching college and became a Head Start teacher since she loved helping small children learn. She was a devoted wife to Joseph Alaimo, a Professor of American Studies at Roger Williams University, until his passing in 2015 after a short illness. She is survived by her fraternal twin Elsie Brown and her husband Rich, her younger sister Ellen Spinner, her daughter Elizabeth, her son David Tarpy and his wife Casey, and her two grandchildren Liam and Emeili Tarpy, as well as a large and loving extended family including her nephews Geoff and Bill Brown, their spouses Suzanne and Laura, and their children Jake, Emma, Rosalie, and Sadie. Alicia was a gentle soul with many dear friends. She was an avid traveler, having lived in England, Switzerland, and Pennsylvania (among other places) before settling in Rhode Island over 30 years ago. She and Joe were particularly fond of exploring the area’s lighthouses and learning the rich local history. They were also loyal members of the Channing Memorial Church in Newport. She enjoyed reading, puzzles, and walks by the wharf. Funeral services will be private by her request, with a family memorial service to be held next summer for friends and family. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to https://roseisland.org/ or https://www.unicefusa.org/mission/protect/education