Rose Mary Zamaria

Ms. Zamaria was born on October 12, 1925 in Saint Clair, Pennsylvania, the daughter of Assunta and Paul Leone.

During her twenty seven years of service on Capitol Hill, she worked as Administrative Assistant to several leading House Members including George Bush, Albert Thomas, Bill Archer, Shirley Pettis and Governor Albert Quie.

In March of 1973, she left the hill to join Mr. Bush when he assumed the Chairmanship of the Republican National Committee during the Watergate era; she served as Director of Administration, the first woman to ever hold that position.

She and her husband, Thomas, retired to Florida in 1980, where he died in 1987.

In 1983, Ms. Zamaria was appointed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services to the Advisory Council on Social Security. The Council focused exclusively on the status of Medicare.

When George H.W. Bush was elected President, she came out of retirement to serve as Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of White House Operations. She later moved to Houston, Texas to become Chief of Staff to the former President, who once described her in a Presidential Debate as being "tough as a boot".

In her nearly three decades of work with President Bush, Ms. Zamaria was a steadfast leader of his management team. White House staff knew she set a high standard for honesty, efficiency and fairness in daily operations, with highest respect for the Presidency.

In January1993, Ms. Zamaria was appointed by President Bush to the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board and served until 1996.

Ms. Zamaria served as a member of the George Bush Library Advisory Council until her death.

Ms. Zamaria is survived by two sons, Thomas and Vincent; two grandchildren, Thomas III and Jeremy; sister, Catherine and a brother, Joseph.

Friends and family may call on Thursday, September 24 from 2-4 and 6-8 at Demaine Funeral Home, 520 S. Washington St. Alexandria, Va. 22314. A Mass will be held Friday, 25 at 10:30 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 310 S. Royal St., Alexandria.