Mary Catherine La Rocca

Mary Catherine Brown La Rocca was born on March 1, 1922 in Pepperell, Massachusetts, and died peacefully in Fullerton, CA on April 1, 2011. Mary's artistic talent was recognized at an early age, and she attended the Massachusetts Art Institute. When war was declared in 1941, she took a job as a technical illustrator at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. While there, she met a young metallurgical engineer named Edward W. La Rocca. They were married in 1944, and settled in the Boston area. Their only child, Martha, was born in 1948. In 1952, they drove across the United States to accept positions in China Lake, CA at the United States Naval Ordnance Testing Station - he as an ordnance engineer, she as a technical illustrator. Later they both worked in the aerospace industry in California for many years. Mary was highly creative artistically throughout her life. She had originally wanted to be a writer, but chose instead to pursue the graphic arts. She worked in a wide variety of media: oils, watercolor, pastels, mosaics, needlepoint, knitting, sewing, and design. She took two degrees at California State University at Fullerton: a Bachelor's degree in Art in 1973, and a Master's degree in Communications in 1976. Later in life, Mary developed a passion for genealogical research, focusing not only on her early New England ancestors, but also on the history of her Italian husband's family. She published many scholarly genealogical histories, and was a member of the New England Historic Genealogical Society. She was also a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Although she loved Orange County, CA, and lived here for 47 years, she was always nostalgic for her native New England, and her remains will be buried in Dover, New Hampshire. She is survived by her daughter, Martha La Rocca Mulkiewicz, her grandson, Henry E. Mulkiewicz, and her son-in-law, Henry A. Mulkiewicz, all of Monmouth Junction, New Jersey. Viewing at McAulay-Wallace Mortuary at 902 N. Harbor Blvd, in Fullerton, Wednesday, April 13 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Service on Thursday, April 14, at 10:00 a.m., also at McAulay-Wallace Mortuary.