Palma T Rossi

Palma Jean Toscano Rossi, age 97, of Apopka, FL, formerly of Sharpsville, PA, passed away from natural causes at 11 a.m. on Tuesday October 5, 2021. Born on April 13, 1924 in Sharpsville, PA, to Italian immigrant parents Pietro and Domenica Morabito Toscano (Reggio Calabria Italy); she was very proud of her Italian heritage.

Palma graduated from Sharpsville High School in 1942 and met Anthony “Tony” Rossi Jr of Farrell, PA. They enjoyed going to the dances at Buhl Park Casino until Tony left in 1943 to serve in the Army during World War II. After four years of courtship, they married on May 25, 1946, and treasured the next 71 years together in marriage.

Palma worked at Westinghouse Electric in Sharon during WWII. While raising her family, she cherished the roles of wife and mother, making the Rossi home warm, welcoming, and the original ‘happiest place on earth.’ She loved to sew, host family parties, volunteer as school room-mother, and organize card-party fundraisers at Kennedy Christian High School and St. Bartholomew’s Church. After her children were grown, Palma worked at various jobs, including catering, bridal salons, Treasure Island Department Store, and Reyers Shoes in Sharon, PA.

Palma loved Shenango Valley and especially Sharpsville where she lived for 60 years before moving to Central Florida in 1984. Mr. and Mrs. Rossi enjoyed an active retirement life in the Altamonte Springs, FL community. Together, they lived Palma’s favorite phrase “bloom where you are planted”, as they certainly blossomed in Florida. They became part of a large circle of friends, joined bowling teams, card-clubs, travel groups, and the VFW (Tony was a founding member of VFW Post 10147 in Apopka, FL). They worked as teacher aides in the nearby elementary schools and taught the sport of Bocce to school children and Special Olympians.

In 1988, Palma turned a temporary assignment into a job that lasted 10 years managing the Central Florida home of professional golfer Gary Player at Alaqua. In 2000, Palma and Tony convinced the City of Altamonte Springs to build Bocce courts at the city park and then organized the city’s first Bocce league. As a lasting legacy in 2009, the city honored the couple with a permanent plaque at Westmonte Park commemorating their efforts and dubbing Tony Rossi as Altamonte Spring's "Mr. Bocce". In 2020, the city doubled the number of Bocce courts where leagues continue to flourish. The couple competed in Bocce leagues together until age 90.

Palma loved to play Bingo and tell stories of growing up in Sharpsville. When the public Bingo games were canceled, family and friends from several states “Zoom-ed” into Palma’s virtual “Italian Bingo” games that were two-thirds laughter and entertaining stories and one-third actual Bingo. Palma will be forever remembered as a woman of love, wisdom, faith, and resourcefulness. After all, and as she often reminded everyone, she was from the Greatest Generation.

Palma was preceded in death by her husband Tony, her siblings Anne Stacconi, Josephine Benetto, Joseph Toscano, Katherine Toscano, and her grandson John Ryan Rossi. She is survived by her sister, Nancy (Toscano) Liptak (Eustis, FL), her four children, Marilyn Rossi (Apopka, FL), Anthony (Tony) Rossi III and wife, Debi (Hull) Rossi (Mt. Dora, FL), Anita (Rossi) Killen (Apopka, FL), and David Rossi and wife, Sherry (Rowles) Rossi (Chicago, IL); her grandchildren, Sara (Rossi) Statis and husband Steve Statis (Chicago, IL), and Jerry Killen, (Orlando, FL); her great-grandchildren, Gianni Vincent Rossi (New Jersey), and Henry Ryan Statis (Chicago, IL); and many nieces and nephews whom she loved like her own children.

Visitation will be from 5:00-7:00 p.m. (10-20-2021) at Baldwin-Fairchild, 90 Weathersfield Ave, Altamonte Springs, FL 32714. A funeral Mass will be at 10 a.m. Thursday (10-21-2021) at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church, 526 N. Park Ave., Winter Park, FL. The Mass can also be viewed live at https://stmargaretmary.org/funeral-mass-livestream/. A private burial service is scheduled at Florida National Cemetery, Bushnell, at 2:00 p.m. (10-21-2021).

In lieu of flowers, the family has established a memorial fund (https://GoFundMe.com/f/In-Memory-of-Palma) to support the Elizabeth Ministry of St. Margaret Mary parish in Winter Park, FL. The Elizabeth Ministry assists mothers seeking help to care for their children's needs. Palma was always helping others and was like a second mother to so many. It seems fitting to continue her generosity and support of others in Palma's name and in memory of a very special mother. The Rossi family thanks you for your kindness and support.