Rosa was a loving wife, mother, and nonna. She loved to be surrounded by family and friends. She was an excellent cook who was famous for her Christmas cookies, including her almond cookies and especially her fried dough cookies doused in fig syrup. She loved to pass the time tending to all her plants, flowers, and shrubs. She also loved crocheting and watching her Italian TV channel accompanied by a glass or two of white wine.

She was deeply religious and was sure to also keep the Italian traditions. She knew all the saint’s days as well as the food that was served on them. Examples were the special pasta with toasted breadcrumbs and anchovies for St Joseph’s Day, the barbequed lamb for the Saturday before Easter and, of course, multiple fish and seafood on Christmas Eve. Even her pots and pans were special - from the bowl she used for her fabulous seafood salad to the oversized saucepan she used for seafood risotto and of course the wooden board she used to make her homemade orecchiette pasta.

Rosa was kind and generous to everyone – even though she had little for herself. Rosa, along with her late husband Vito, always worked to make a better life for their children and family. Fond memories include large gatherings every Sunday with extended family. She always needed the homemade table extension to fit the twelve to fifteen people at any given time. Yet, somehow, there was always enough and dinners took the whole day. Of course, all the men went home with huge sandwiches for lunch the next day.

We will miss Rosa deeply and keep her soft beautiful face, her loving and kind words, and our wonderful memories of her in our hearts always.