Rosalie Jeanine DeMarco
Loving Wife, Mother, Grandmother, Aunt, Cousin, Friend, and Professional
5:00 – 7:00 PM
on
Friday, July 25th, 2014
at
Tobias Funeral Home
Beavercreek, Ohio
Celebration of the Life, Love and Work of
Rosalie Jeanine DeMarco
Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen.
Hebrews 11:1
So much has been given to me, I have no time to ponder that which has been denied.
Helen Keller
5:00-5:50 Visitation
5:50-6:00 Prayer and Consecration, Fr. Joseph Massucci
6:00-6:05 Welcome and Expressions of Gratitude from Carolyn and George
6:05-6:15 Reflections of Mrs. DeMarco’s Senior Caregiver, Ms. Chelsie Hickey
6:15-6:30 Reflections and Reminiscences of Family, Friends, Caregivers
6:30-7:00 Remaining Visitation
Rosalie J. DeMARCO (Cracchiolo), 88, of Beavercreek Twp, and formerly of White Plains and Brooklyn, NY and Naples Florida, passed away Sunday July 20, 2014 in peaceful sleep and in the presence of her grateful son George and devoted daughter-in-law, Carolyn Ridenour. As the cause of death was vascular dementia, not Alzheimer’s disease, Mrs. DeMarco retained the essence of her spirited personality and much of her vibrant memory throughout the three-year journey to her well-deserved resting place in Heavenly Paradise to reunite with her loving husband of 54 years, George M. DeMarco, who died in 2003. Mrs. DeMarco was born August 22, 1925 in Brooklyn, NY , the third daughter of Salvatore (a shoemaker) and Catherine Costa Craccchiolo (a seamstress), Sicilian immigrants who, with great courage, faith, determination, and hard work, realized the American Dream in their own lives, and those of their children, Rosalie, Regina (Sadie, husband Frank Espositio), Josefina (Fffie,husband Charles Panzica ), Santo (Sonny “Dick” Crana) all deceased. Also preceding Mrs. DeMarco in death and life ever after are her beloved brother’s and sister’s-in-law, Paul DeMarco (wife Katherine) and Mario (wife Ann), and Charles Panzica.
Mrs. DeMarco is survived by her son George DeMarco, Jr. and wife Carolyn Ridenour of Beavercreek Twp.; devoted daughter Catherine J. Iscaro of White Plains, NY.; two grandchildren, Peter, Paul, daughter in-law Melissa, and one great granddaughter, Aviana. As the last surviving member of the DeMarco-Cracchiolo family’s Greatest Generation, Rosalie was the beloved aunt of Douglas Crana, who assisted greatly in her care, and Mrs. Lorraine Astrab (DeMarco), who along with husband Russell,visited with Rosalie regularly throughout the years. Mrs. DeMarco is also survived by her sister-in-law Betty Crana, with whom she shared many a sun-drenched retirement day in Naples Florida, and nieces and nephews Paul (wife Rita) and Richard (wife Barbara) Crana, Paul (wife Rita) DeMarco , Joanna (husband Greg) Condit; Louis, Richard , and Donna Esposito and Valerie (Panzica) Austin (sons David and Gregory) cousins (Sadie Cracchiolo and Jo DiGiovanni), surrogate sons and daughters, and dear friends, including long time neighbor Fran Brocchi, and life time friends Mary Ellen Cannizzaro , Rosalie Branca;, Lois and Tom Stuetz, Peggy and Joe Cataldo, Louis and Delores DelPriore, Anne and Jack Rousseau, Karine Larsen , and Mary Anne Ziola were among the many dear and special people whose lives she graced and who loved her so very, very much.
Mrs. DeMarco was an active member of Our Lady of Sorrows, Catholic Church in NY and was a founding member of the longest lasting Marriage Encounter Group in Westchester County. Along with her husband George, she conducted the famous Bread Ministry, during which, for nearly a decade, they delivered donated Pepperidge Farm bread to literally hundreds of families and members of the clergy. Similarly, the DeMarco's service at the Westchester Medical Center where, as Eucharistic Ministers, they escorted disabled patients to Fr. Drew's Sunday masses further exemplified the depth of their selflessness and commitment to share their Christian Faith. During her career, Mrs. DeMarco worked as a professional bookkeeper for many years, most notably for the first Westchester office of Weight Watchers, in Yonkers, and during the WWII in the defense industry for Sonatone, and both while and after raising her children, for Romanoff Industries, Inc., Liberty Mutual and Irma R. Bass Insurance Companies. Mrs. DeMarco was also a member of the Sons of Italy, Ladies Aquilea Lodge No. 935; served as a Girl Scout leader and PTA Mother, and very active politically, supporting local and national candidates with equal verve and conviction.
Mrs. DeMarco was a modern day Renaissance Woman, she loved to both listen to and record music, especially that of Frank Sinatra, Jimmy Rosselli and the operas of Puccini, Verdi, and Mascagni; she taught herself to play the piano, had a magnificent voice – once performing at the County Center – was a voracious reader, particularly of poetry, spirituality, religion, history, and biography; she was a prolific journalist, diarist, correspondent, and excellent typist, composing literally thousands of pages reflections on life as well as letters to family members and friends over the course of her lifetime. She loved to travel and did so often with her husband George, trips to Denmark, Italy, and Israel were transformative and among the most memorable.
Mrs. DeMarco was also an athlete; she lived an active and healthy lifestyle, was a member of Silver Sneakers, where she worked out up to 3x weekly until the summer of 2010. She loved to bike, swim, ice skate, and dance with her husband George. As a younger woman she also enjoyed horseback riding and bowling and was an avid Brooklyn Dodger fan. Right up until her final months, she enjoyed watching baseball and remembered clearly the Boys of Summer, including Furillo, Lavegetto, Campanella, and Branca, who she had seen play in person during the Halcyon Days of Ebbets Field. Among her greatest joys were cooking and baking; her mastery of the magnificent Italian cuisine her family so enjoyed and appreciated. She was renowned as the very best cook by everyone who knew her and relished every hour spent in the planning, preparation, and serving of food in the Bolton Avenue kitchen that was indeed her domain. Mrs. DeMarco the quintessential caregiver, living her life completely for others. She cared for all members of her family in sickness and health across generations and across the decades. Indeed, after building their home in 1956, the Rosalie and George DeMarco’s counted as members of their household not only their then two young two children Cathy and George Jr., and, but also her Father, and sister; both for whom Mrs. De Marco cared throughout their lives.
Guided by an unwavering Faith in God, and belief in the goodness of humankind, Rosalie De Marco was an exemplar of Christian virtue not only during the prime of her life, but also in the midst of her infirmity, when the grace and dignity with which she endured her suffering inspired all who cared for her. Mrs. DeMarco loved and appreciated them deeply and they grew to love her, providing so lovingly for her needs as she had for others during a lifetime of giving. Leaving a legacy of dedicated love, kindness, service, and strength for her family, friends, and caregivers, Rosalie DeMarco, will be missed dearly and remembered always as a woman of great goodness, unlimited generosity, and unique talent. May she rest in Heavenly Peace, knowing throughout all Eternity that we shall remain grateful for her life, love, and work.
Carolyn and George shall be forever grateful for Rosalie’s wonderful Constellation of Caregivers, Beavercreek, Paula Sabo Tammy McVicar, Terrie Hickey, Christine McVicar, Vicky Broderick, and the entire staff at Dynamic Senior Solutions, especially Senior Care Giver Ms. Chelsie Hickey, who stayed steadfast, skilled and compassionate at Mrs. DeMarco’s side virtually every day for more than two years; and her Sisters-in-Care, Brandi Thomas, Takoya (Sha) Porter, Mia Davis Allison Gordon, Chelsie Farish, Jamie Reynolds, Kirsten Jacobsen, Sarah Allen, Lacey Jones, and in White Plains; the Irish Team of Noreen O’Driscoll, Annette Curran, Anna McDonald McKee, Joan Duignan, and Wally Naughton. Also of invaluable support in Mrs. DeMarco’s care were Dr. Larry Lawhorne, Chair of the Department of Gerontology at the Wright State Medical School; Acclaim Hospice staff Becky Strunk, RN Case Manager- Nurse Carolyn Strumberger, RN, Nursing Director, Kathy Overstreet, LSW Social Worker, Mark Meyer, Chaplain, the staff at Serenity and Buckeye Home Health Care Groups, Oak Creek Terrace, Samanatha Ayers, LSW, of Greene County Area Agency on Aging, NY physicians Dr. Susan Soeiro, and Dr. Mark Tobak, NY CVS Pharmacists Mitra Jaikaran and Joseph LaMonte, OH CVS Pharmacists Medhi Ashraf and Scott Rinehart; Father Joseph Massucci, Dr. Lloyd Laubach, Laura Greger and Robyn Powers of the University of Dayton; and, last but not least, all the great men and women who helped to design, build, and maintain Mrs. DeMarco’s Ohio home including General Contractor James and Courtney Dell’Aria, Architect Brian Weaver, Roofer Chris Dahm, Master Carpenters Russell Brunner and Dave George, Electrician Jeff Bonham, CJS HVAC Jim Bodine, Flooring and Bathroom Expert Steve Pfeif, Master Plumbers Lane Skidmore and Jeff Dooley, Landscaper Joe Dean, Master Terminix Exterminator Ray Collins, and CV Concrete. And, countless others who made our lives and Mother’s life so blessed –you’re in our hearts.
COMPARTA UN OBITUARIO
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