Dorothy C. DeRosa

Tenacious single mom adored her family

Jan. 17, 1935 - Aug. 23, 2022

Dorothy Christina DeRosa, of Great Kills, died following a stroke. She was 87 years old.

Born in Ridgewood, Queens, Dorothy attended St. Bridget’s elementary school and St. Joseph’s High School in Brooklyn.

In January 1962, Dorothy married the love of her life Ralph DeRosa, Jr. They met at a local dance in Manhattan and then proposed to her on the steps of her favorite place, St. Bridget’s church. He died just four years later, and she never remarried. Dorothy’s family takes peace in the fact that these made-for-each-other soulmates are reunited after 57 years apart.

As a single working mother in the 1960s and 1970s, Dorothy’s strength, resilience, tenacity, and fierce independence were palpable. She raised four children — who now have eight college degrees among them — while working as an executive assistant and later, a personnel assistant at IBM for 20 years. She earned multiple awards for her work during her tenure. She retired in 1992.

Dorothy loved traveling, especially going on cruises. She could be counted on to always talk about her time seeing the glaciers in Alaska. An avid baker, her family will most remember her traditional Gottschee dessert, Pobolitzen. She could be found playing scrabble, doing crossword puzzles or lunching with friends at Andrew’s Diner, where her go-to dish was a buffalo burger with mustard.

The life of the party, Dorothy considered everyone who entered her home her family. She always had an open seat next to her for you to sit in and a good story to share. She had a profound love of music, teaching her grandchildren show tunes and standards at the Sunday dinner table. Her family knows she’s dancing, singing, and cheering “Woah, BABY!” with ease, joy and glory.

She was very involved in her grandchildren’s lives, attending their graduations, concerts, recitals, and school plays — without fail, they could see her beautiful smile from the audience and see how proud she was of them. She even befriended some of the nuns who taught them in grade school. Her family will miss her calls to sing “Happy Birthday” as close to their “birth time” as possible. And, she was so excited to don a new nickname: “G.G.” for great-grandmother.

Dorothy was a parishioner of St. Clare’s for more than 50 years, regularly attending Adoration, serving as a “prayer chain” member, and volunteering to clean the church. After her retirement, she attended mass nearly every day.

She also was predeceased by her beloved sister, Marie Costanzo.

Dorothy is survived by her four children, Dianna DeRosa Jones and husband, Ron; Ralph DeRosa, III, and wife, Katie; Marguerite DeRosa McCarthy and husband, Sean; and Mary DeRosa; six grandchildren, Caitlin Jones, Megan Alliston and husband, Loren; Ryan Jones and wife, Jennifer; Thomas DeRosa; Brian DeRosa; Isabella McCarthy; and one great-grandson, Colin Matthew Jones.

Viewing Hours 4pm - 8pm, August 26, 2022, Casey Funeral Home

Funeral Mass 9:45am, August 27, 2022, St. Clares Church

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.caseyfuneralhome.com for the DeRosa family.