Nicholas Vento

Nicholas Joesph Vento, age 61, a longtime resident of Hopkinton, Douglas and Cumberland, Rhode Island, passed away at Miriam Hospital in Providence early on Jan. 11, 2025. He was the beloved godfather of Corissa Vento, Jacqueline (Vento) Sanchez and Sean MacLaughlin.

Nick was born in Boston on Dec. 23, 1963, the son of the late Anthony and Barbara A. (Patch) Vento. He was raised in Dorchester and moved during his formative years to Hopkinton, where he graduated from high school in 1981.

He worked for the past 30-plus years at Twin River Casino in Lincoln, Rhode Island, as a cashier. He also was the owner of Patriot Kennel.

Nick was a passionate Boston sports fan, at points a season ticket holder for the Bruins and Red Sox, and he was a fan of the Cincinnati Bengals. He was a successful breeder and racer of greyhounds. His beloved greyhound Nance Can Dance (Nance) helped propel his success. He was an avid cruiser who truly loved his time on the seas, going on multiple cruises a year. Most importantly, he was a beloved son, brother and uncle to his family, taking care of his parents in their later years and, in many ways, serving as the glue that held the Vento family together. He had a way of making everyone feel special — he gave a lot and never asked for a lot in return.

In addition to his parents and godchildren, Nick is survived by his brother John Vento, as well as many cousins, nephews and nieces, and great-nephews and great-nieces. Sadly, Nick was predeceased by his sister, Linda (Vento) MacLaughlin, and brothers Anthony and Joseph Vento.

Visiting hours will be held Friday, Jan. 17, from 11 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at Callanan Cronin Funeral Home, 34 Church Street, Hopkinton, followed by  internment at Mount Auburn Cemetery in Hopkinton. All are welcome to attend. A reception to follow will be held at TJ’s Food & Spirits, 355 West Union Street, Ashland.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to help one of Nick’s true loves, greyhounds, by donating to Greyhound Friends, Inc., in Hopkinton: greyhound.org.

Obituaries are submissions, typically from funeral homes, that are not subject to the same level of editorial oversight as the rest of the Hopkinton Independent. Obituaries may be edited for grammatical and factual mistakes and clarifications and shortened for space considerations.