Mary Rose Villano

At the age of 91, Col. Mary Rose Villano USAF (Ret.) of Peoria, AZ passed peacefully on June 5, 2022. Born in Marlborough, MA in 1930, the younger of two children born to Michael and Mary (Guarnieri) Villano, she graduated from St. Anne’s Academy in 1943 and then from Marlborough High School in 1947 and went on to study Nursing at Hahnemann School of Nursing in Worcester, MA. Upon graduation in 1951 she began her nursing career at Marlborough Hospital but in time she grew restless and decided to join the United States Air Force.

Mary began her career in the Air Force in 1960 at Williams AFB in AZ and fell in love with the picturesque beauty of the Desert Southwest. She then traveled the world being stationed in England and the Philippines as well as bases in Texas, California, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and finally ended her career in 1981 having attained the rank of Full Colonel in the USAF at Luke AFB in AZ. Mary rose through the ranks to become an Operating Room Nursing Supervisor and certainly dedicated her life to serving others.

Mary was very proud of her service to our country and her nursing career after she retired from the military she settled in Glendale, AZ and eventually moved to Peoria. Mary continued her work in nursing as a staff nurse at Glendale Nursing Home and ended her career at Royal Oaks retirement community.

Mary eventually moved into Sierra Winds retirement community where she was very active in the community. Eventually, though as her health began to fail the devoted care team at Sierra Winds took excellent care of all her needs.

She leaves behind her devoted brother Anthony Villano of Franklin, MA (formerly Marlborough and Eastham) and was predeceased by his wife Catherine.

Loving Aunt and friend, she is predeceased by her eldest nephew, Michael, and leaves behind his wife, Mary, of Wellington FL, and their children Elizabeth and Michael, her nephew James (Delores) of Southbury, CT, and their children, Matthew, Caitlin, Meghan and Jack, and her niece Catherine of Franklin, MA and her daughter, Juliana. She also leaves her cousin Carolyn Bucchino of Cottonwood, AZ, and many close friends in AZ including Bonnie Kulakowski, Pat and Vicki Springer, and USAF Col. Mary Clemente (Ret.) of West Chester, PA, and many other loving relatives and friends.

Mary certainly had a love for travel and shopping. She never met a small furry four-legged friend that she didn’t immediately fall in love with. As a true lover of animals, Mary always generously supported animal foundations. She was a strong independent woman who lived a life of service to others, and she will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved her.

Services will be held July 26th, 2022 at 11:00 am at St. Elizabeth Seton Catholic Church 9728 W Palmeras Dr., Sun City, AZ., 85373. Inurnment to follow at Sunland Memorial Park Cemetery 15826 N Del Webb Blvd. Sun City, AZ. 85351

Memorial donations may be made to the Small Dog Rescue, Glendale AZ – Checks payable to CABRA a 501c3. Designate for Small Dog Rescue.