Gustave C. Cote, 92, of Diamond Hill Rd. died Friday, December 18, 2015 at RI Hospital. He was the husband of the late Rita (Godin) Cote. Born in Woonsocket, a son of the late Gustave L. and Malvina (Bouchard) Cote, Gus was a Professor of Accountancy at Providence College for nearly forty years retiring in 1989. Gustave was named "professor emeritus" of business administration upon his retirement.
Gus earned his BS from LaSalle University and his MBA from The Wharton School at The University of Pennsylvania. Mr. Cote was a past president of the RI CPA Association, and was a member of the American Accounting Association.
Professor Cote’s lifelong generosity to PC included major gifts for the construction of St. Domenic Chapel, the Smith Center for the Arts and recently for the Arthur and Patricia Ryan Center for Business Studies, which is currently under construction.
In his own words, from papers found among his personal notes, Gus wanted it to be known that "He died a happy man, and lived a meaningful life. Besides loving his wife very much, he loved accounting, he loved teaching, and he loved Providence College! God is good."
In addition to a grateful faculty and administration as well as many colleagues and alumni who held him in high esteem, he is survived by many nieces and nephews.
His memorial Mass will be held Wednesday, January 27, at 4:30 pm in St. Domenic's Chapel on the Providence College Campus. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in his name may be made to: Providence College, School of Business Building Fund, One Cunningham Square, Providence, RI 02918.