Anthony Piccirilli

Anthony Piccirilli, CPA, age 94, of Cranston, RI and Hollywood, FL, passed away at his home in Florida, March 11, 2026. He was the beloved husband of 72 years of Barbara (Asprinio) Piccirilli. Former Rhode Island State Auditor General. 

Born in Providence, he was the son of Gerado Piccirilli and Chiara (Simeone) Piccirilli.  Anthony leaves two sons and a daughter: Gerald Piccirilli, Anthony P. Piccirilli, Virginia Piccirilli, and her husband Greg Hawkinson, and many loved nieces and nephews.  He was blessed with two granddaughters, Ariana and Catrina Piccirilli. Anthony’s loving sisters, Assunta Lombardo (her husband, the late Tony) and Maria Galasso (her husband, the late John).  Anthony had two brothers, the late Louis Piccirilli, CPA , (his wife, the late Barbara) and the late Domenic Piccirilli; Esq.

Anthony was educated in the Providence school systems and joined the U.S. Navy Submarine Force for four years.  Anthony graduated Providence College in 1959 and then earned his Master’s degree from the University of Florida in 1960. Anthony was employed at Ernst & Young for four years and Nicholson File Co. for ten years achieving the title of Controller. 

Anthony was appointed Rhode Island State Auditor General in 1974, served for twenty years and established the 1st office of the Auditor General in Rhode Island. The office earned regional and national recognition as representing the highest professional standards in the auditing profession.  He was Chairman of the New England Intergovernmental Audit Forum and Vice Chairman of the National Forum.  He was President of Rhode Island Society of Certified Public Accountants. He was President of the National State Auditors Association and as President, he testified before the U.S. Congress on the merits of the “Single Audit Act”.  The passage of the Act resulted in the dramatic improvements in the audits of Federal financial assistance programs by mandating greater participation by State Auditors. 

He was President of the National Association of State Auditors, Controllers, and Treasurers, and was actively involved in the establishment of Governmental Accounting Standards Board which sets accounting principles and financial reporting standards for State and Local governments nationwide.  He was a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Committee on Governmental Accounting and Auditing. 

He received awards for Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council – “Goodrich Award”; U.S. G.A.O. Financial Management improvement award; Rhode Island CPA 75th Anniversary Awards – Accountants in Government; and Rhode Island Government Finance Officers Association - John O. Stitely Memorial Award.  He was a fan of most sports of which baseball was his favorite. He played baseball in High School; Rhode Island Amateur League; Norfolk, VA Naval Base; Submarine Base in New London, CT.  He coached Little League baseball for several years in the Mount Pleasant section of Providence.

Relatives and friends will be received Friday, April 10, from 4pm until 7pm in the "WOODLAWN" Funeral Home, 600 Pontiac Ave., Cranston. His funeral will begin at 9am on Saturday, April 11, at the "WOODLAWN" Funeral Home, with  a Mass of Christian Burial at 10am in St. Mark Church, Garden Court, Cranston. Military honors and burial will follow at St. Ann Cemetery.

Memorial donations are greatly appreciated to St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital.

Please share memories and condolences at www.WoodlawnRI.com.

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